Lupine~Friday's Flower

Lupines are a member of the pea family, which makes them a great addition to any garden.  They can fix nitrogen in the soil, thereby enriching the soil for their companion plants.  The bloom period is two months, somewhere between May and July, showing spectacular flower spikes.

Definitely on my top 10 list of favorite perennials, I like to see them in mass plantings.  They come in a variety of colors and bi-colors including white, cream, pink, red, magenta, blue, dark blue and many shades of purple.

They mostly like full sun and cooler nights, but benefit on a 90 degree day with some afternoon shade.  These nectar rich flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

I'm especially fond of the way water collects in the center of their palm leaf type of foliage.

Grown in zones 4-7, these beautiful flowers are a stunning centerpiece.

Leek Risotto

I think Risotto is a great accompaniment to any meal.  Even with a folder full of various combinations of rice and vegetables, I'm always up for trying something new.  My winter leeks are done growing and I've been pulling them to make room for other plants.  A few days ago one of my favorite sites, Food52, featured a recipe for Leek Risotto...perfect timing for me.  And yes, it has been added to the folder.

Here is a new rice for you, Carnaroli.  Although I have never heard of it, according to Wikipedia, this medium grain rice which grows in Northern Italy is known as the 'king of rice' and is traditionally used for making risotto.  I always use Arborio, which I did this time and it was delicious, but will search for this firmer textured, longer grained Carnaroli.

Leek Risotto
From Food52~nicolecooks

Serves 4

   4-5 cups vegetable stock

   Extra-virgin olive oil

   3 small leeks, halved and thinly sliced

   1 shallot, minced

   1 cup Carnaroli rice-or Arborio

   1 cup white wine

   2 tablespoons unsalted butter

   1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

   1/3 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

   Kosher salt, to taste

   Minced chives, for garnish

Place the stock on a low simmer in a stockpot and keep a ladle nearby.  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep, heavy sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until translucent; do not let them brown.  Add the leeks and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the leeks have softened.  Stir in the rice and toast for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the wine and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed, and continue scraping the pan so that the rice doesn’t stick.  Season the rice with salt, then begin adding stock a ladle at a time, stirring often, and allowing most of the liquid to be absorbed before adding more.  The rice is cooked once the grains are al dente; this takes about 30 minutes.

Turn off the heat and vigorously beat in the butter and cheese with a wooden spoon to help it emulsify with the rice.  Add the whipped cream, then season with salt, only if needed.  Continue stirring until all the ingredients have been incorporated.  Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and chives.

A tip from the author of this recipe is a trick she learned from the legendary chef Thomas Keller~~The addition of whipped cream takes this risotto to an even creamier level.  I agree.

Tomato Cages

People are always in a hurry to get their tomato plants in the garden.  It is the #1 favorite food to grow.  But all too often the support is added too late.  The time to put your tomato cage in place, is soon after you've got the plant in the ground.  I know what you're thinking...I've got plenty of time.  But you don't. 

In addition to amending all the vegetable beds with rich organic matter every spring, I want to give the tomatoes every possible advantage at the time of planting.   I pinch off all the branches on the bottom half of the stem.  Dig the hole and remove 4-5" of soil and set aside.  Then I mix in 1 cup of a granular organic 3-3-3 fertilizer with the next 10" of soil.  Place the plant down in the hole and fill in with the soil I first removed.  I bury between 1/3 and 1/2 of the stem below ground, which will give my tomato plant a much stronger root system.  Mulch around the plant and give each tomato 1 gallon of water.

I believe in tall tomato cages; these are 6' plus.  Frankly, those little wire cages at 42" and 54" are not nearly big enough.  By the time you push them down into the ground, they are only 3-4' tall.  The plant will grow to the top, then drape down on itself and continue growing.  There is no way for air to circulate in conditions like that. 

Do yourself a favor and get those cages over your tomatoes now.  Don't wait until you are fighting the tomato for placement and breaking off branches in the process.  You won't be a happy gardener then.

Scotch Broom - Friday's Flower

The Scotch Broom is a large woody shrub, averaging 3-6 feet,  that bears tiny yellow flowers and is related to the pea family.  The plants bloom between March and June before the leaves emerge.  I have 3 plants in different areas of my yard, and I love them.  In 8 years, I have never had a problem with volunteer plants due to it's reported excessive self sowing. 

However, according to the Oregon State Community Extension Service, it is a very invasive plant in the Pacific Northwest.  The Scotch Broom is a native of Europe and North Africa, and was introduced in the 1850's as an ornamental plant in California and later used to prevent erosion and stabilize banks and dunes.  There is no hatred for this plant on the East Coast where it doesn't appear to have the negative characteristics the folks on the West Coast talk about.   I will keep a close watch on mine.  On the positive side, Wikipedia states that as a legume, this shrub can fix nitrogen in the soil through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria.  Something else to consider if you have small children or dogs, all parts of the Broom are poisonous.

On a more light-hearted note, I am back on bunny alert.  A little guy has taken up residence under the backyard deck.  This bunny is so small, it looks like one of those yard decorations with a hollow bottom for a hidden key.  Adorable.

Tropical Fruit Trees

On a nice warm day, two weeks ago, I transplanted 5 of my fruit trees.  There were two reasons for doing this: 1-most of them needed to get into a larger growing space; and 2-I wanted them to be in a lighter weight pot for ease of moving.

Meyer Lemon, Clementine, Seedless Lime and 2 Dwarf Banana Trees.  Everyday they are exposed to a little more direct-sun time, and soon will be enjoying full days of sunshine.

I have also repotted the Dragonfruit and Cavendish Banana.  All have been trimmed, including the Bay Laurel and Kaffir Lime, which didn't need to be up-potted this year.  Apparently they are all happy to be outdoors again, enjoying the warmer temperatures.

The Clementine and Lime trees are sporting fruit to show their appreciation.  I'm looking forward to a productive growing season.

Feels like Summer

This year there was not a day I could say, Spring is here!  Spring-like weather appeared the end of February.  Then every Monday during March and April the Front Range Foothills received 10-12" of snow, just as if we had placed an 8 week order requesting delivery, it happened without fail.  On the 9th week there was no snow that Monday, but 6" fell 2 days later on May 1st, and fortunately that was the last of it.  The perennials didn't know if they were suppose to start growing or remain dormant.

Pink Tulips with Bordeaux Spinach.
 
We went from Winter to Summer and the now the plants are nearly jumping out of the ground. The Iris's are just beginning to flower as well as the Lupines.  This is the first year that tulips will still be in bloom when the Peonies open; that's unheard of.  Peonies typically bloom on Memorial weekend, and the tulips have always been long gone by then...except for this year. 

The Smoke Bush leaves remind me of delicate roses opening.
 
Apparently some plants benefited from the extended winter season.  After trimming the Wisteria, I discovered over 4 dozen flower buds.  Needless to say, I'm expecting a stunning show of purple.  The Spring Snow Crab Apple wasn't as pleased with the weekly snowfall...lost all it's buds...went straight to green leaves rather than first giving us a beautiful display of white flowers.  Several of the fruit trees followed suit.  We trimmed the Lilacs back severely last year, but they still managed to give us a few blooms.

The vegetable garden has finally been planted, and as every other year, tomatoes and peppers account for 3/4 of the space.  I'm trying a few new varieties of tomatoes-Franchi Red Pear, Dr Wyche's Yellow, Cherokee Purple and the Mortgage Lifter, along with my old standbys-San Marzano, Sungold, Sweet 100, Black Krim, Green Zebra, Tomatillo and Juliet.

The wildlife is always eager to see what is planted.
I'm trying my hand at red potatoes for the first time, and they appear to be growing according to plan.  Added the 2nd stack and another layer of soil this week.

A front planter is filled with blooming Allium.

Potted Cactus Gardens

Taking a class at your local Botanical Gardens, you would expect to come away with some great information.  Last summer I did just that, concerning Cactus.  I was so impressed with what I heard, I had to try it myself.  For years I have had a small perennial cactus garden in a corner of my yard that gets extreme heat and sun all summer long.  Armed with additional knowledge, I planted cacti in several coconut lined baskets, and placed them throughout the yard to enjoy.

Cactus can pretty much take care of themselves in this dry environment.  In fact, given their short summer season, they thrive.  The experimental part of this project was going to be in the over-wintering.  The instructor said you could bury the potted cactus and in the spring they would come out of the ground as if they were just planted.  I bring in more than the average amount of potted plants for the winter, so this concept peaked my interest.

Fascinated with this technique, I was determined test it.  In early December, when the plants were shutting down, we dug a trench in the vegetable garden for the pot's winter home.  First covering the entire row with a sheet, then piling on the dirt.  They remained buried for nearly 4 months.

Last week we removed the soil and uncovered the pots so we could amend the garden for summer.  The plants came out looking just as good as when they went into hibernation.

Looking at them, you would have thought I had kept them in the house all winter.  They were green and lush.

I'm still amazed.