Try Fresh French Sorrel In Soups And Salads

French sorrel, Rumex scutatus, is an easy-to-please leafy perennial herb that is a choice garden cousin of the sour wild sorrel that we pull from garden beds. Both owe their tart bite to oxalic acid, which also lends a lemony taste to our native wood sorrel, Oxalis oregana. Though not botanically related, they share the common name sorrel as well as the lively flavor.
Kitchen or French sorrel has been brought to perfection by generations of French gardeners, who patiently selected for the largest, most tender leaves with the tangiest, most sparkling flavor. Sorrel makes a creamy, lemony filling for omelets like this puffy, ricotta-based dish. If you prefer thin, egg-only omelets, try this luxurious filling with your own omelet recipe.
Sorrel soup has a velvet texture and a rich yet tart flavor that makes an exciting counterpoint to fresh goat cheese and crisp-crusted rosemary bread. Salmon cooked with the first herbs of spring and topped with tangy sorrel is further enlivened by a quick reduction of balsamic vinegar.
French sorrel appreciates acid soils and grows with ease in beds or containers. Select garden forms such as Silver Shield have lovely, marbled leaves that earn room in a perennial border or a vegetable bed. If you can’t find plants at the local nursery, it’s easy to grow from seed.
Here are a few starter recipes to help you discover the pleasures of cooking with sorrel. If sorrel isn’t available in your market yet, ask the produce buyer to get some. In the meantime, try making the omelet and salmon recipes with raw kale and fresh basil instead; they will be quite different of course, but equally tasty.

French Sorrel Omelet

4 eggs
4 tablespoons ricotta (nonfat works fine)
1 tablespoon grated cheese such as pecorino, romano or Parmesan
salt and pepper
1 cup fresh sorrel leaves, rinsed and sliced in ribbons
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons sour cream (nonfat works fine)
1 tablespoon fresh chives OR garlic tips, minced

Beat eggs lightly, adding ricotta a spoonful at a time. When mixture is blended, stir in 1 teaspoon grated cheese. Heat oil in an omelet or frying pan over medium high heat, tilting to coat pan evenly. Add eggs and tilt pan again to coat. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. When eggs are puffed up and soft set  (5-7 minutes), sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/4 teaspoon each). Add sorrel, recover pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until sorrel is limp. Loosen omelet with spatula, fold in half and serve immediately, garnished with sour cream and chives. Serves four.

Creamy French Sorrel Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 white or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
6 cups (2 bunches) fresh sorrel leaves, rinsed and sliced in ribbons
6 cups milk (nonfat works fine)

Melt oil and 2 teaspoons butter butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until limp and pale golden (about 10 minutes). Reduce heat to low, add sorrel (reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish), cover pan and cook until limp (2-3 minutes). Add milk and simmer until warm (do not boil). Put mixture in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pan, heat through and serve with a pat of butter, a dash of freshly ground pepper, and a few shreds of sorrel for garnish. Serves four.

Raw Kale Salad With French Sorrel Dressing

4 cups red kale, stemmed and shredded

2 cups Tuscan Black kale, stemmed and shredded

2 cups baby spinach

1 organic orange, peeled, sectioned, and chopped

4 green onions, finely sliced

1/2 cup French Sorrel Dressing (see below)

pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts or almonds, lightly chopped

In a large bowl, gently toss all ingredients. Let stand for 15 minutes and serve at room temperature. Serves 6.

French Sorrel Dressing

1 cup French sorrel, stems trimmed

1/4 cup fruity olive oil

1/4 cup white balsamic or apple cider vinegar

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a food processor, combine first four ingredients and puree. Stor in capers and salt and serve. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

Salmon with French Sorrel Sauce

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups (1 bunch) fresh sorrel leaves, rinsed and sliced in ribbons
2 tablespoons fresh fennel foliage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh garlic tips, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic or lemon vinegar

Rinse fish, pat dry and rub with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle lightly on both sides with kosher salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon of each). Toss together 1 tablespoon of each herb and half the garlic, chop mixture until fine, and pat over both sides of fish. Heat remaining oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add remaining garlic and sizzle until golden, stirring occasionally. Add fish, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, turning once. When fish is opaque and flakes easily, top with sorrel, cover pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until sorrel is limp. Remove fish and sorrel topping to a serving platter, return pan to heat. Add vinegar and bring to a quick boil over medium high heat. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping bits off the pan bottom. Reduce sauce by half (2-3 minutes), then pour over fish, garnishing with remaining herbs. Serve at once. Serves four to six.

Gorgeous Goat Cheese

For thousands of years, goat cheese and ripe olives have been a classic combination. Nutritious, flavorful, and remarkably versatile, fresh goat cheese has about half the fat and nearly twice the protein of cream cheese.
Lactose-intolerant people can often enjoy goat cheese without problems, and fresh goat cheese can be used in sweet or savory recipes. Aged goat cheese can be sliced, shredded on pizza, crumbled into salads, mashed into baked potatoes, or used as a garnish for soups,  vegetables, rice or grilled fish. Lively with capers and crunchy with pine nuts, Bowtie Pasta With Tomatoes and Goat Cheese makes a lovely brunch or luncheon entree. Add diced ham or cooked chicken for a heartier meal.
Rich and full-flavored, Salmon With Olives And Goat Cheese combines a quickly made olive tapenade with creamy goat cheese that bakes to a sublime finish. Fast and handsome, this dish is good enough for company but quick cooking and easy to prepare.
Flavor fresh goat cheese with chopped herbs, garlic, capers, lemon juice, or peppers for a lively spread or dip. The creamy goat cheese mixture broiled in Shrimp And Strawberry Open-Faced Sandwiches is also excellent spooned over grilled fish, baked potatoes, or steamed asparagus.
Fresh goat cheese also lends itself to sweet treats, from berry trifles to chocolate truffles. For a very special treat, serve Triple Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut Goat Cheese Truffles. When ripe cherries hit the market, stuff them with roasted hazelnuts, cover them in chocolatey goat cheese, then roll in dark cocoa powder for a spectacular dessert nibble.

Shrimp And Strawberry Open-Faced Sandwiches

4 ounces fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chives, minced
8 ounces cooked, cleaned shrimp
4 slices whole grain bread
16 strawberries, fan-sliced

In a bowl, cream goat cheese with vinegar and chives. Gently fold in shrimp. Spread mixture over bread and toast or broil until slightly bubbly (2-3 minutes). Cut bread in quarters, fan a strawberry on each quarter and serve. Serves four.

Bowtie Pasta With Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

8-12 ounces bowtie pasta
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, shredded
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon capers, drained
4-6 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 green onions, finely chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Do not halt cooking with cold water when done. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and capers. In a serving bowl, gently toss hot pasta with goat cheese and pine nuts, adding cooking water by the tablespoon to make a creamy sauce. Add tomato mixture, toss gently and serve, garnished with green onions. Serves 4.

Baked Salmon With Olives And Goat Cheese

1 cup Kalamata olives, stoned and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil virgin olive oil
1 pound skinless salmon fillet
2-3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, coarsely puree the olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, and pepper. Add the olive oil and puree to desired consistency. Place fish in a baking dish and cover with half the olive tapenade. Bake at 350 until fish is opaque when flaked or internal temperature is 136 degrees F. (15-20 minutes). Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve, passing remaining tapenade with fish. Serves 4.

Triple Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut Goat Cheese Truffles

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces fresh goat cheese (unflavored)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup ripe cherries, pitted
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, skinned
1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolates over low heat, stirring often until smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Cream goat cheese and vanilla, stir in cooled chocolate and chill for 1 hour. Stuff each cherry with a hazelnut, cover with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture, roll into a ball and roll in cocoa powder. Serve chilled. Chill any leftovers for up to 2 days. Makes about 20 truffles.

The Green Kitchen

Make Ahead Breakfasts That Don’t Break The Bank

By now, we all know that eating a good breakfast keeps us going stronger longer. A recent study also shows that women who take in nearly half of their daily calories at breakfast lose weight more quickly than dieting sisters who divide the calories more evenly. What’s more, those who kept up the breakfast routine kept the weight off as well.
Children, too, need terrific breakfasts, especially on school days. A dear friend with small boys recently shared her secret to serene weekday mornings. She makes a week’s worth of breakfasts on Sunday, then refrigerates and/or freezes them. Her boys especially love her version of Dutch Babies, which she makes with whole grains and seasonal fruit.
Lively with orange juice, sweet with apricots, and crunchy with nuts, Wheat Free Breakfast Bars are really delicious and smell like heaven. For variety, try them with dates and walnuts or dried mangoes and pecans. For extra protein, add some rice protein powder (or soy).
At my house, Raspberry Whole Grain Waffles are a speedy standby for ready-in-a-minute weekday breakfasts. My young adult offspring love to heat and run, taking a plate of warm waffles to wolf on the way to work. Waffles reheat in minutes in a toaster oven, and these homemade treats are better tasting, cheaper, and more nutritious than store bought.
Pumpkin Pancakes also freeze well and reheat in a minute. Make a protein-rich breakfast sandwich by spreading a pancake with almond butter and jam and topping it with a second pancake. Fast and fabulous!

Apple Dutch Baby

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat or rice flour
4 eggs, beaten until light

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put a cast iron Dutch oven or large frying pan in the oven for 5 minutes, then add butter. When bubbly (2-3 minutes), add apples, cinnamon, and sugar or honey, stir to coat and cook in oven until barely tender (3-5 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk milk and flour thoroughly into eggs and pour over the apples. Bake until the Dutch Baby is puffed and golden brown (20-25 minutes). Serve warm or cut in quarters and freeze (reheat in the microwave in 30 seconds or in a buttered frying pan over medium heat in 2 minutes). Serves four.

Wheat-Free Breakfast Bars

1 organic orange, juiced, rind grated
3 apples, cored and coarsely grated (2 cups)
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup brown rice flour or barley flour
1/4 cup rice protein powder (optional)
1/2 cup dried apricots or dates, finely chopped
1/2 cup almonds or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and pat evenly and firmly into 8″ x 8″ baking dish.  Bake at 350 until golden brown (25-30 minutes). Cool for 15 minutes, then cut in bars and serve or freeze. Makes 8-12.

Raspberry Whole Grain Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons flax seed
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola or safflower oil
plus 1-2 tablespoons more for waffle iron
1-1/2 cups raspberries (frozen work fine) optional

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add buttermilk, eggs, milk, and 1/3 cup oil, then stir in fresh or frozen berries. Heat waffle iron and brush with oil. , then add batter. In general, use a scant 1/4 cup of batter per 4-inch square of waffle iron. Cook for 3 minutes or until done (waffles will release easily when done). Serve hot or cool and freeze.  To reheat, toast for 30-45 seconds. Makes about 30 4-inch waffles.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom or nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned works fine)
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups almond or hazelnut milk
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
plus oil for frying pan (about 1 tablespoon)

In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients, set aside. In a large bowl, blend pumpkin and eggs well, then stir in milk, vanilla, and oil.
Beat in the milk & oil until smooth. Add to flour mixture. heat 1/4 teaspoon oil in a heavy frying pan over medium high heat and add batter, using 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form around the edges, then flip and cook until both sides are golden brown (2-3 minutes per side). Serve warm or freeze. Makes about 12.

Out Out Darn Blackspot

Here in the maritime Northwest, roses suffer from foliage diseases, from blackspot to mildew. I often recommend using dormant sprays in January or February to reduce or eliminate foliar problems and discourage aphids and mites. A reader can’t find the Sunspray oil I recommended at any of the big local chain stores and wonders where to look.
Sustainable and organic products are most common at independent nurseries. Family run businesses (like Kitsap County’s Bainbridge Gardens, Peninsula Nursery, or Valley Nursery) generally offer a fuller range of alternatives to chemical pesticides.
All garden centers carry horticultural oil and any plain kind (without additives) will work. I prefer Sunspray because it has a low rate of impurities.
You can safely use any dormant oil before leaves appear. Once leaves are open, dormant oil sprays must be used in more dilute solutions.
To be safe and to ensure efficacy, always read the directions on ANY spray and follow them carefully. Most toxic reactions to horticultural or agricultural chemicals are caused by people ignoring safety guidelines.
Scientists at Cornell University  developed a formula that successfully combats blackspot and powdery mildew. Here’s the recipe:

Cornell Formula For Black Spot and Mildews

1 gallon water
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 tablespoons horticultural oil (preferably ultrafine)

Combine all ingredients in a sprayer with a clog-free nozzle and spray stems, buds, and leaves of susceptible plants top and bottom. For just a few plants, a hand pump sprayer will work fine.
Sold commercially as Remedy (made by Bonide), this is a lot cheaper to make it yourself. Use it on any plant that tends to get powdery mildew or blackspot, from roses and azaleas to squash, pumpkins, and grapes.
A similar recipe is popular with rose growers and sustainable gardeners. It adds foliar nutrients and a mild soap as a sticking agent:

Modified Cornell Formula

1 gallon water
2 tablespoons ultrafine horticultural oil (such as Sunspray™ oil)
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon liquid kelp
1 teaspoon mild dishwashing soap like Joy or Seventh Generation **

** If Sunspray oil is used, skip the soap, because the emulsifier used in Sunspray oil acts as a surfactant (sticking agent).

Blend all ingredients in the order given and apply as above.
If powdery mildew and blackspot are well established in your garden, either spray will help keep both disorders under control. Use either mixture weekly from bud swell through full leaf-out, then every other week through the summer.
If your garden roses don’t have blackspot or powdery mildew, good hygiene can help keep them clean. Hose down every rose bush twice a week, spraying foliage thoroughly, top and bottom.
Morning bathing helps foliage dry out before nightfall. Cool evening temperatures promote fungal growth, so clean, dry leaves may escape trouble altogether.
Both blackspot and powdery mildew are associated with over feeding, especially with roses. Since excessive new growth is susceptible to many diseases, try growing your roses a little leaner. Instead of loading on chemical fertilizer, try an old rosarian’s trick.
Heap 2-3 gallons of composted dairy manure over the graft of each rose. Add 1 quart of alfalfa meal or pellets per plant and water well. This offers plenty of slow-release nitrogen and helps prevent foliage disease.

Saving Apples From Apple Maggots

I was recently asked asked what to do about apple maggots. Adult apple maggots are flies which lay eggs in apples. These hatch into worm-like larvae that cruise through the apple, leaving mealy, discolored fruit behind.
Apple maggots are common in rural and older suburban neighborhoods, especially where  apple orchards once stood. Like untended old fruit trees, even urban ornamental crab apples may often harbor large populations of maggots.
If you love homegrown apples and treasure the old heritage varieties that linger on in old gardens, here are some good ways to keep your apples clean.
Yet another reader asked what to do about Apple Maggots. Adult apple maggots are flies which lay eggs in apples. These hatch into worm-like larvae that cruise through the apple, leaving mealy, discolored fruit behind.
Apple maggots are common in older neighborhoods, especially where  apple orchards once stood. Like untended old trees, ornamental crab apples often harbor large populations of maggots.
If you love homegrown apples and treasure the old heritage varieties that linger on in old gardens, here are some good ways to keep your apples clean.

1) Practice good hygiene. Fallen apples (drops) and unpicked fruit are prime breeding grounds for apple maggots. Collect drops at least twice weekly all summer and fall. Drops can be recycled  with green waste.
2) Remove fallen foliage and replace with fresh compost each fall.
3) Unless you are a proficient hot composter, DO NOT put drops in your compost. Slow or static composting does not achieve temperatures sufficient to kill apple maggots.
4) Put unpicked fruit in the garbage or donate clean, edible fruits to food banks (such as Second Harvest) that accept homegrown produce.
5) Use red ball traps for apple maggot flies (they think the balls are ripe apples and get fatally stuck).

Try Tanglefoot

The Tanglefoot brand of red ball trap kits are available at many garden centers, starting at around $15. For mature dwarf fruit trees, 3-4 traps should suffice. Younger dwarf trees may only need one or two.
Some gardeners prefer to paint real apples, while others use 3-inch wood or plastic balls with a wood staple nailed to the top. In case you really care, University of Massachusetts studies show that Glidden Red Gloss Enamel is most successful trap colorant.
Whether you make your own traps or use kits, you will need to reapply the sticky stuff each year. Tanglefoot Bird Repellent (not Tanglefoot tree paint) is the goop of choice. As a fruit growing friend says,  “it’s clear, it’s sticky, it’s a mess!”
Keep the traps in your apple trees from late April through June. If the balls get covered with flies, clean them with rubbing alcohol and replace them with fresh sticky stuff. Enjoy!

Driving Moles Away, Fast

Over the years, many people have tried to chase away moles using everything from gum to gasoline. I know one long-time gardener who repels moles by tucking a stick of unwrapped Juicyfruit gum into each mole hill she sees. “It really works!” she said with some surprise. I’ve read that it may be the oils from our hands that make gum so repelling to moles. I kind of doubt they chew it…

Long ago, I was sent a recipe for a mole deterrent called Aloha Mole. I was expecting an exotically cross-cultural sauce combining chocolate with pumpkin seeds and pineapple, but no such thing. Here’s the very effective recipe:

Aloha Mole

Two parts castor oil
One part mild dish soap ( the recommended brand is Joy)

Mix together until foamy. Add two tablespoons of mixture to one gallon of water. Spray in and around mole hills and visible holes.

I like to sidetrack moles by building small compost piles fortified with compost worms when moles are frisky. Since they are really looking for worms, the heaps are more attractive than my garden beds.

Spring Lawn Renovation

Spring is a tough time for Northwestern lawns, which often react poorly to environmental stresses. Red thread, brown rots, fungal diseases and foliage disorders are common complaints. Recent reports from the University of Ohio at Wooster indicate that the best turf therapy is to rake an inch of compost into your lawn in spring (as in right now).
Compost contains lots of beneficial bacteria and other critters that promote healthy soil and strong root growth. By feeding both the lawn and the soil, compost helps lawns fend off pests and pathogens.
If your lawn is perpetually soggy in winter, or if you have a skimpy lawn that is struggling to grow on heavy clay soils where moss prevails, try the program outlined below. Though very poor lawns may need more than one treatment, even after a single renovation session, you’ll notice that your formerly lousy lawn feels firm and level and looks more evenly lush and more richly green. What’s more, your renovated turf will stay healthy and handsome with less than half the watering it formerly required, readily absorbing water with little or no runoff.
Here’s how it works:

1) Mow the grass as short as possible.
2) Spread 1 inch of crushed, clean gravel (quarter-ten or quarter-inch clean) over the grass.
3) Spread 1 inch of mature compost like Cedar Grove or composted dairy manure over the gravel.
4) Top seed lightly if your lawn is thin and spotty (rake the seed in), using a regionally appropriate mixture such as dwarf rye, Eco-turf, or Low-Mow.
5) Wait 6-7 weeks before mowing again.
In about six weeks, the grass will grow up through the gravel and compost.  John assured me,  “Don’t worry, you won’t get gravel shooting through the lawn mower, because the gravel is now full of fresh grass roots.”
The key to success with this program is in using the right kind of gravel. Never use pea gravel for anything; it just migrates in the soil, creating trecherous conditions underfoot.
What is optimal is a fine crushed gravel called “quarter-ten”; crushed quarter-inch gravel put through a number-ten screen. That screening removes the fine and small particles, which are then sold as mason’s sand. Washed, quarter-inch crushed gravel of any kind will also work well, because the sand has been rinsed away.
Clean or washed, crushed gravel is also an excellent, all purpose pathway material and can be incorporated into soggy beds and borders as well as lawns. Again, not just any grit or gravel will do: to work properly, the gravel must be crushed and it must be clean.
The rough edges of clean crushed gravel help to break water surface tension. This  allows good water penetration even in dry summers, when soil crusting is common. Using unwashed quarter-inch gravel with the small particles left in it will lock up the soil, creating an even worse drainage situation.
If you can’t find quarter-inch clean locally, try for a 1/2 inch x 1/4 inch clean crushed gravel. In my region, this mixture is usually available locally for about $25 a yard, depending on quantity.
On a truly dreadful site, you may need to repeat the treatment four times, spring and fall for two years. Happily, raking out material is easier than tilling, and the long term result is genuinely terrific.

Starting From Scratch

For many folks, making a garden from scratch is a daunting concept. Where on earth do you begin? The best way to make a garden is slowly. Before you start building beds, think about what you want in the garden: a place to barbecue or take tea in winter means shelter from wind and rain. Summer dining needs a sunny, visually protected spot. Kids’ play areas should be sunny and easily seen and reached from the kitchen. Compost bins should be convenient to the kitchen but not the first thing your guests will see.
These issues should be sorted out before you buy a single plant. If you can’t wait, pack a big container with instant gratification cuties and let it satisfy your plant lust for a while. Why? Until you know how you want your yard to function and which plants you will be able to please easily, it is hard to make intelligent choices about plants or placement.
To get started, make an overall assessment of your property. Map wind, sun, and shade pattern throughout the day. Consider the time of year and guesstimate where the sun will be in every season. Your sun/shade map will guide you in placing your herbs and roses, or a vegetable garden (full sun), where the hammock might go (summer shade), and where you could tuck in a dog run (some of each).
Drainage is also critical to garden success. After a good rain, look for puddling, places where standing water remains for an hour or a few days. Soggy spots may be drained but they may also be terrific spots for thirsty beauties like variegated redtwig dogwoods or giant gunneras.
Once you have decided what features you want in the garden and where they should go, path making becomes easy. Paths lead us through a space both physically and visually. Their style also helps to develop the garden’s character: straight lines and hard angles suggest a formal, highly controlled environment, while soft, simple curves suggest more natural environments.
When making paths, be bold and generous. The most common design flaws in amateur gardens are failures of scale, as when paths are too narrow, beds too small, and utility areas are undersized and poorly placed. Other common flaws include excessive clutter and fussiness of line. In garden design, big, simple shapes read best at any time of year and are most functional in terns of both use and maintenance. Simplify a fussy design by combining several small beds into one larger one.
Paths should always be large and simple. Make main entry paths 6-8 feet wide, expanding in a wide wedge where they cross or meet a patio, terrace, or porch. An often-used secondary path should be at least 4 feet wide and 5-6 feet is usually better.
Planting beds should be a minimum of 4-6 feet wide, and proportionately wider for larger properties. To avoid rots, mildews, termites, and other pests, beds should never touch the side of the house or any wooden structure. Instead, line the side of the house with crushed gravel skirts at least 18 inches wide and deep. In a small yard, put your paths beside the house and get the plants out where they receive rain water and good air circulation.
These simple guidelines will help you plan your garden for both immediate and long term success.

If You Want A Guy To Garden

Many men think gardening is all about lawns and chain saws. If you want more buy in from your resident guy, consider a judicious bribe. Something mechanical, noisy, and large. In short, a garden tractor. If your lawn is large enough to make mowing a several-hour chore, think big. After all, once your honey gets the hang of tractor mowing, you can rent him out to the neighbors and earn back the ticket price in a single summer. You will probably need to get a good mower deck, preferably a self-mulcher so there’s no need to bag up your clippings (unless you prefer to compost them). You may also want a power take off for a chipper as well as other attachments, but be aware that a PTO bumps up the price of a sit-down mower from about $1,200 to about $14,000. Since a quiet, efficient small tractor with a front end loader, a bucket, and a great mower deck starts at about $17,000, that’s a great way to go. Resale price on small tractors remains very close to original cost, making this extremely useful tool a wise choice for gardeners with a lot of earth to move.

Tractor links:
www.kubota.com
www.deere.com
www.masseyferguson.agcocorp.com

Fresh From The Garden

Illnesses abound in spring, when changing temperatures and crazy weather seem to create the perfect climate for bugs and viruses. When you or your family feel a bit under the weather, offer simple, healthy comfort foods.
The classic treatment for a headache is a cup of tea with cinnamon toast. Probably this old time remedy works so well because taking tea is a leisurely, relaxing process in itself. Add the lovely smell and crunch of fresh cinnamon toast and you have instant aroma therapy.
Omelets are excellent food for convalescents who can’t manage a heavy meal but need some protein. Sick children may prefer a mildly sweet omelet filled with jam or a fragrant, almond-studded Applesauce Omelet sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
For those with adult tastes, try a simple, savory filling. A quickly made Omelet With Green Onions and Shrimp is light yet nourishing with a refreshingly fresh flavor. Use precooked shrimp to keep the cooking speedy, and spice it up with a dab of curry paste or powder when your normal appetite returns.
Fresh spring greens and herbs make a Spinach and Mushroom Omelet lovely fare even for those who are feeling on top of the world. If you aren’t quite so elevated emotionally, this beautiful, delicious dish will help improve your sense of well being.

Splendid Cinnamon Toast

2 slices whole grain bread
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
few grains nutmeg (optional)

In a toaster oven or oven broiler, lightly toast bread (one side only works fine). Cream butter with brown sugar and cinnamon (and nutmeg if using) and spread on toasted bread. Return to toaster oven or broiler and toast until sugar turns bubbly and golden brown (1-2 minutes). Serve warm. Serves at least one.

Applesauce Omelet

1/4 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
few grains salt (less than 1/8 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Heat applesauce in a microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat. Set aside. Combine sugar and cinnamon, set aside. With a fork, beat eggs and salt until blended. In a shallow, wide omelet or frying pan, heat butter over medium high heat until foamy. Add almonds and cook until pale golden, stirring constantly (2-3 minutes). Pour in eggs and swirl pan to coat. Shake pan lightly, then gently pull back cooked eggs with a spatula to allow runny, uncooked portion to run underneath the cooked part. When center of omelet is lightly set (about 30-45 seconds), cover half the eggs with applesauce and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar. Gently fold omelet in half, slide onto a plate, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Serve warm. Serves 1-2.

Omelet With Green Onions and Shrimp

2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cooked shrimp, rinsed
1/4 cup sour cream (nonfat works fine)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon sweet curry paste or powder (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon butter

In a bowl, combine green onions, shrimp, sour cream, and curry (if using) with half the salt. Set aside. With a fork, beat eggs and remaining salt until blended. In a shallow, wide omelet or frying pan, heat butter over medium high heat until foamy.  Pour in eggs and swirl pan to coat. Shake pan lightly, then gently pull back cooked eggs with a spatula to allow runny, uncooked portion to run underneath the cooked part. When center of omelet is lightly set (about 30-45 seconds), cover half the eggs with sour cream mixture. Gently fold omelet in half, slide onto a plate, and serve warm. Serves 1-2.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

1/4 cup sour cream (nonfat works fine)
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme or any thyme, stemmed
1 tablespoon garlic tips OR chives, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon virgin olive oil
1/2 bunch baby spinach, rinsed and stemmed
4 brown field mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced

In a bowl, combine sour cream, thyme, garlic tips or chives and half the salt. Set aside. With a fork, beat eggs and remaining salt until blended. In a shallow, wide omelet or frying pan, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add spinach and mushrooms and cook until spinach is wilted and mushrooms are tender (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a plate, set aside. Add butter to pan, heat until foamy, add shallots and cook until pale golden (1-2 minutes). Pour in eggs and swirl pan to coat. Shake pan lightly, then gently pull back cooked eggs with a spatula to allow runny, uncooked portion to run underneath the cooked part. When center of omelet is lightly set (about 30-45 seconds), cover half the omelet with sour cream mixture and vegetables. Gently fold omelet in half, slide onto a plate, and serve warm. Serves 1-2.

A neighboring gardener sent out a recent request for empty wine bottles. When I asked what she intended to do with them, she showed me a tidy trench, filled with upside-down bottles. The empties formed a handsome barrier to weeds and pests, lining the edges of her herb garden with panache. Her request was heard by lots of friends, and she now has enough empties to create a bottle wall (stacked horizontally and cemented together layer by layer, empty bottles can make quite lovely walls for vine supports).

Another neighboring gardener saves wine boxes, the kind with taps, and uses them to deliver slow drips of water to thirsty plants a gallon at a time. This is actually quite a clever way to water, since you can set the little built-in tap to dribble rather than gush. By filling the boxes once or twice a week, you can be sure that each young seedling or plant gets a full ration of water. I’m not sure you’d find quite as many pals willing to admit to drinking box wine, though, so you would probably be on your own for amassing empties.

A third friend thinks the only way to really enjoy watering the garden is to do it by hand, on a warm evening, with a glass of wine in hand. Few folks have the patience to water really well, but perhaps the addition of a pleasing glass of wine might make this admittedly time consuming process seem less tedious.