The Rain Is Here!

Today in Colorado! Some much needed rain.

          The rain has finally arrived, Colorado! It’s been a long dry spell but this is a time when all the gardeners in the area take a big sigh of relief and waste the day drinking coffee and watching Oprah. If you haven’t had the time to sew those seeds or plant your starters, the next few days are going to be some of the best. When growing your own edible garden, everything depends on the soil. You know the saying “From the ground up”? Well that’s what I’m talking about. If you’re soil isn’t happy you better believe your plants aren’t happy. So, enjoy your cup of coffee and take a day off. And my god, get those plants in the ground before it’s too late. SecondGarden is professional and realistic, so we know how to get your edible garden growing fast with all of your wants and needs in mind. Give us a call, set up a consultation and help us help you with your new edible garden. 

CHIVES!!!!!

Chives in bloom!

       Many people haven't a clue what chives are. To those people I say, what the heck have you been doing with your life? After that, I welcome the opportunity to teach the wonderful world of chives and the amazing things that you can create with them in the kitchen.
       Chives are part of the Allium family which includes all of the onion-like things including garlic, leeks, and shallots. Chives are the smallest species of edible onion which is native and grows pretty much everywhere. The reason I enjoy chives so much in the garden is because they grow with very little effort, taste great, and their flowers are magnificent! Other reasons to grow chives in your garden are, they naturally repel bad insects and the flowers attract pollinators (bees) which will benefit all of the other plants you have growing. You can find chives to grow in your garden at just about any garden nursery, but be careful to plant them where you are positive you will want them to stay for a long time. Chives grow a bit crazy and for the neat and tidy gardener you just might want to plant them in pots before digging them into the ground. If you're not too worried about having chives everywhere, then go ahead and plant them. In a couple of years, you'll have beautiful chives all over the place.

Chive scapes. Sorry about the blurriness!

       In early spring you will find little green tips rising from the cold soil of winter. From there to a few weeks later, you will have six inch to a foot tall chives that are ready to harvest. This is about the time when the seed heads are growing to a couple of inches in length. When you see the seed heads, it's time to harvest. Just as with garlic, chives have seed heads or scapes that grow eventually open up into beautiful purple flowers. These flowers will slowly dry up and release the seeds for potential new chives next spring. There is a wonderful culinary aspect with the chive scapes though. Harvest the chives when they have grown to about six inches in length. They will have a great oniony flavor that would go well with fish, potatoes, soups, and all kinds of dishes. Just chop them up and add them to your favorite meal that needs a little boost of flavor.

Harvesting chives

       Chives are one of the easiest plants to grow in the garden. When harvesting them, take only what you need. Bunch the amount needed in your hand and bend them over to the side so that you can get a clean cut with the kitchen scissors or garden sheers. Cut them down all the way to the base.

       Chives continuously grow leaves and will start to grow more from the place you cut from. This will provide you with a continuos harvest until the frost comes in winter.

Storage for chives

     
       Even a couple of minutes in the hot sun, while not connected to the rest of the plant, can whither chives to a long dead strand. To avoid your chives from drying out before you get them indoors, have a wet piece of paper towel and a plastic bag nearby. 

       When you harvest the chives, wrap them in the towel and store them in the bag. This will keep them nice and moist. Once you get the chive indoors they should be stored in the refrigerator until needed. This will allow them to stay fresh for about a week long. I suggest harvesting them when you need them though.

Cooking with chives

       One of the most delicate, simple, and delicious recipes utilizing chives is chive oil. Chive oil is an oil with a light chive flavor which adds freshness to any dish. Here's how you do it.
       Take the chives out of the bag you've stored them in and rinse them under cold water for a few second to remove any bugs or dirt left over from the garden.

       On a cutting board, chop the chives up into small pieces. In a blender, toss the chives in and pour about a cup of oil over the top of them.

       I use a good bottle of extra virgin olive oil but this would also go well with vegetable oil or canola oil. Blend the two ingredients until fairly emulsified. You want to then let the mixture sit for a while to let the flavors really come out of the chives and into the oil. Just put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

       The next step is to strain the oil to get all of the chive bits out. You can do this with a fine mesh sieve, cheese cloth, or even a coffee filter although it would take longer using the filter.

       Strain the oil and then transfer it to its new home. Try to reuse anything you have around the kitchen; a glass jar, old dressing bottle, etc. We used an old balsamic vinegar bottle because it has a great shape to it and comes with a cap which makes it easy to pour. The oil will last for a couple of months but throw it out if and when it starts to take on a not so desirable flavor.

       Using chives and chive oil in any dish will add a hint of freshness and make your taste buds want more. For a quick and easy side dish like thinly sliced, roasted potatoes, chives and chive oil will be perfect.
       Ariane and I first started to make these potatoes because we wanted to bake some chips but wanted them to have a little bit more flavor and bite to them. Here's what you'll need...

Red potatoes 2 or 3 medium size

Chive oil 2-3 Tbsp.

Cumin 1 tsp.

Paprika 1 tsp.

Salt 1 tsp.

Pepper 1 tsp.

Garlic powder 1 tsp.

Chives 1 Tbsp.

        On a cutting board, slice the potatoes into rounds. Make them pretty thin, about 1/8 of an inch is perfect. 

       Lay them out on a sheet tray and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the chive oil over the top of the potatoes making sure to coat them well. If you need to use more, that's fine. Sprinkle the spices around on top of the potatoes until well coated. Once the oven is ready, bake them for about ten minutes. Next, you will need to flip them over to cook and crisp up the other sides.

       On a cutting board, chop the chives up as small as you can get them and sprinkle them over the top of the potatoes. Return them to the oven and bake for another ten minutes or so. 

       After the time is up, take them out of the oven and enjoy them by themselves or with the rest of a meal. These potatoes are easy to make and will have a wonderful chive flavor. 

       Now, it's your turn to grow some fantastic chives in your garden and create a few wonderful recipes using chives and chive oil. Let me know what you think of this recipe and tell me what you like to make with chives!

Leftover Pickle Juice and Garden Vegetables!

           When you’ve finished off the last pickle in the pickle jar, you’re left with a half full jar of salty, yellow juice that doesn’t seem very appetizing by itself. The same goes for the juice from the sauerkraut jar when all of the wonderful fermented cabbage is finished. When most people would pour the juice down the drain, I, being a thrifty gardener and chef, have another plan.

Before thinking about using various left over juices such as pickle juice, sauerkraut, etc. Make sure that it’s still fresh enough to use for an other month or so. The last thing you want to do is use expired juice for any recipe. There should be an expiration date on the bottle or most often, the lid. If it’s before the date printed, you’re all good. If by chance the date has long since passed then you have to do the smell and sight test to determine if it’s still okay to use. Don’t feel comfortable with it past the expiration date? Just throw it out and you can make your own simple pickle juice. 

Here’s an easy recipe

1 c white vinegar

3 c water

1/8 c pickling salt

2 gloves garlic

2 sprigs fresh dill 

       Simmer the vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan until fully dissolved. After that you can use the juice as you like. Depending on what you have in your garden, add fresh herbs and garlic to boost the flavor profile. Less is more! Keep it simple. This recipe will make about 2-1 quart jars.

One easy recipe using the left over pickle juice is, you’ve got it: More pickles! Just go out to your garden a pick a fresh cucumber right from the vine. Make sure to wash it first to make sure any dirt is off of it and slice into rounds or spears. Drop the freshly sliced cucumbers into the pickle juice and store in the refrigerator for about a week. Eat them till there are no more and if the juice is still good, do it again! 

Besides pickles, there are many things you can make with left over pickling juice. Some people pickle eggs, beets, and cabbage to make sauerkraut. But what if you aren’t growing any cabbage and you want to make some home made sauerkraut? I’ve got the perfect substitute. Broccoli stalk! When you’ve eaten all of the broccoli heads, you are left with a fibrous, hard stalk that needs a little love if it’s going to make its way onto the dinner table. Ariane and I have been enjoying a lot of sauerkraut lately and when we finished the jar, what better way to re-use the juice than to pickle the broccoli stalk. 

You only need two ingredients, the leftover juice and broccoli stalks. With a vegetable peeler, cut long, thin strips of the broccoli stalk. Simmer the juice in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the shredded stalk. Simmer the broccoli stalk for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. 

Pour the whole mixture back into the sauerkraut jar and let stand on the counter to cool. When the sauerkraut is cool, cap it and store in the refrigerator for as long as it lasts. 

Having a garden full of veggies, fruits, and herbs is such a wonderful thing. You should always try to utilize everything you grow even if, at first glance, it doesn’t seem to be usable. If you have any questions about using everything from your garden, call us and we’ll create a great recipe for you to enjoy!

Grow more plants for FREE by way of tip-rooting

          Instead of beginning this article with a beautifully written intro, I’m just going to get down to the heart of it. I’m writing about tip-rooting or otherwise known as layering. I like the term tip-rooting because it’s pretty much self explanatory. Tip-rooting is a method of plant propagation or multiplying, making it a very inexpensive way to have more of your favorite plants. Certain plants love to tip-root and are very good at doing so, such as blackberries, raspberries, and tomatoes. So, what is tip-rooting? When the cane or branch of a plant (in this case, a black raspberry) grows to a certain length, it will naturally curve and touch the ground. Over a couple of weeks, the part of the plant that is touching the ground will start to send out tiny hair roots. The roots will continue to grow and new leaves will begin to emerge from the once vacant soil.

Internet drawing - Zach

         I took the liberty of creating a masterpiece drawing for all of you to appreciate so that you may picture tip-rooting in action. I’ve added sunshine and birds for the whole effect. On the right are canes of a black raspberry plant: One cane has grown enough to touch the ground and has started tip-rooting. 

         Once you see new growth on the new plant you can be sure that the roots have grown enough to be safely separated from the mother plant and transplanted wherever you choose. Separating the old plant from the new one is quite easy. With a pair of pruning shears, cut the cane of the mother plant about a foot long from the new emerging plant. Now dig up the roots of your new plant being careful to keep the root ball intact. 

         This black raspberry cane had tip-rooted last season which gave it plenty of time to establish a good root system. When I removed the plant from the ground I was very surprised at how many roots had grown. 

         From here you can pick a spot in your garden to plant the new black raspberry or transfer it into a container until you find the perfect spot. Make sure you’re using a good organic potting mix when potting the plant. Compost will also work very well. The new plant will continue to grow in the container. It can remain in the container even until next year before planting it into the ground. 

         If you don’t want to wait until your plants are long enough to tip-root on their own you can easily start the process yourself with these simple tips:

         Locate the longest branch or cane from whatever plant you wish to tip-root. Weigh the branch down so that it is touching the ground. With a hand shovel, dig a small hole and burry a small portion of the branch with the tip coming out of the dirt from the other end. To keep the branch from moving, place a rock on top of the soil. Make sure that you water this spot right away and a little more frequently than you do your other plants.

How to tip-root using the soil and a rock. -Zach

         This process should take about two to three weeks. Once you see new growth from the tip of the branch you will know it’s time to separate it from the mother plant! 

Let the tip-rooting begin and grow your own plants for FREE!!!

A Bit About Black Raspberries! 

         You’ve read it correctly, I’m talking about black raspberries! Not a black berry or a raspberry but pretty similar to both of them. A black raspberry looks and grows like a regular raspberry except that when the fruit ripens it turns a dark purple/almost black color. The texture is similar to a raspberry but the flavor is far from ordinary. Unlike a raspberry, black raspberries have almost no sour flavor. The flavor of a black raspberry is like eating freshly made jam picked right from the cane. Black raspberries are somewhat of a new thing in the berry world, but they are growing more popular, so if you ever stumble across them at the garden center give them a try. 

         Later on this season, when the berries ripen up, I will post a recipe using black raspberries. What’s your favorite recipe using fresh berries? Let us know in the comment box below and we might just pick it for our blog for everyone to enjoy!