Harvest Monday - 06/06/2016

I have been following the Harvest Monday posts for quite some time now, marveling at the wonderful harvests, drooling over the pictures of dishes using said harvests, appreciating the hard work that these gardeners have put into their gardens and widening my eyes over the beautiful green spaces being maintained!
Compared to these bounties, my gardening space is tiny and my harvests are very small. But they are gratifying and exciting nonetheless! I didn't plan at all for any spring harvests and my summer garden is just beginning to grow. But I have taken some offerings from my raised beds in the past couple of weeks.

Green leaved amaranth is one plant that is self sown in my patch. The first and last time that I sowed it was probably about 3 years ago. Since then, it comes up regularly like clockwork every spring and sometimes in the most unlikeliest of spaces! But you will hear no complaints from me because I love my amaranth greens. I saute them with garlic and red chillies for a simple side dish or I add chopped leaves and tender stems to lentils to make a hearty Indian daal to go with rice.                                     

This year I am also growing Roselle (Hibiscus Sabdariffa or sorrel). Many Indian dishes use the tangy leaves extensively for chutneys and such, but the rest of the world apparently also uses the dark red calyces for syrups! 

 

A few overgrown spring onions and a lone garlic. The spring onion bulbs were still edible and the garlic was pulled out because the resident pest stamped all over it and bent the stalk. Plus I was very curious to see how much it had grown; this being the first time that I planted garlic!  

I also pulled out several stalks off my lemongrass bush. It had surprised me considerably in the spring by not only surviving the winter but also thriving splendidly!  The clump of bushes is providing a hiding nook for the rabbits who are viewing my little vulnerable patch like a 24/7 buffet. I cut away the outer leaves, trimmed each stalk to a manageable length. The picture above shows the stalks with the roots still attached, but I removed those and washed them clean before putting them in a ziploc and stowing them in the freezer. I still have about 2/3 of the bush to harvest. I am planning to use them in teas and lemonades, to flavor rice and also in curries. Since a little lemongrass goes a long way, I should have a nice supply for the coming months.

The above picture shows several seedlings of my holy basil. A traditional house in India is never without a holy basil plant. It is considered sacred there, being heavily used in religious ceremonies. It is also cultivated for its medicinal use.  The leaves are highly prized for their use in respiratory disorders, fevers and stress. A few months ago, it looked like I wouldn't have this wonder herb in my backyard for the first time in a decade.  But thankfully that was not to be. I plan to get a bigger container for these plants and nurture them into a big bush that I can move into the house during colder temperatures.

That's it for this week! 

For other amazing harvests, visit the Harvest Monday roundup at Our Happy Acres.

Green Thumb Series:Enthralling Flowers !

This is a continuation of my previous post in the same series.
This year being our first attempt at gardening, TH and I tentatively began with only a few flowering shrubs. One of the first ones that we purchased was a hibiscus plant (actually two). Hibiscus shrubs are very common in India and almost every backyard is home to at least one plant, if not more. The hibiscus flowers come in various colours, each more brilliant and enthralling than the previous one !
Although short lived ( they stay fresh on the plant for only a day), they provide a burst of blooming freshness and colour throughout their flowering season.
The hibiscus is not planted for only aesthetic purposes, however. The entire plant can be used in a variety of ways.

• The seeds are used for their oil .
• The leaves and fruits have diuretic properties.
• Leaves are also used in some parts of the world as a soothing cough remedy.
• Hibiscus flower extract is also used for liver disorders and high blood pressure.

There are recorded culinary uses as well !

• Tender leaves and stalks are eaten in salads.
• The flowers are also used in jams, jellies and the like.
• A good friend has also posted a very delicious sounding idli recipe made with the leaves of the white hibiscus plant.

People familiar with Indian deities should also note that hibiscus flowers, especially red ones, are considered to be the favourite flower of Lord Ganesh.

That done, here are a few pictures of my thriving hibiscus plants. The only problem being, these are not tropical hardy hibiscus, which means that in all probability, these beauties will not survive the winter here. That would really be a shame.
Had I known in advance, I would have either opted to plant these in big containers or would have gone for the hardy variety.I guess all I can do now is take some cuttings from these plants, mulch them heavily, and pray for a tiny gardening miracle !


How can any self respecting aspiring gardener not have roses ? With hundreds of varieties to choose from, getting a few is that much easier (or that much harder, depending on how you look at it :-) )
These are the fragrant flora that bloomed in my front yard !


I couldnt resist taking a picture of this okra bud in my vegetable garden !



I will leave you for the moment with these few peeks into my humble garden. Hopefully I will have more pictures to share!
Until then, may the grass be always greener on your side of the fence !

Green Thumb Series:Summer Rolls into Fall....

As the growing season here in Texas comes to an end, I realize that I have not posted any updates on my
gardening ventures lately. Now that I am done with the vegetable bed for the year, its time I have a few pictures in my blog !

The most successfully grown plant this season was the bottle gourd...aka sorekaayi (in Kannada), dudhi bhopLa (Marathi), lauki (Hindi)..
A mere three plants provided me with at least 20 gourds, which I happily shared with friends ! ...I am sure that if the plants had been given the support they deserved, they would have produced even more...In any event, even without the support, they did perform extremely well...taking over almost my entire vegetable patch very aggressively ...they even strangled my precious tomato plants (sob ...sob...) ..


The patch was also graced by a lone okra plant that also did well..turned into a very healthy and very tall plant ( growing to almost 6 feet)..producing several okras, although only a couple at a time..I have plans to plant many more next spring, since these plants don't require too much care, do not take up a lot of space ( this is aimed as a special dig at the bottle gourd plant).


I had very high hopes from another plant that had I had lovingly tended from seed...Its called the Mangalore cucumber ( at home we also called it as the mogekai ) ...its available in most Indian groceries as the dosekayi. The plant did well initially and also gave one big squash..but later withered away dramatically...probably did not get enough water ( blush.. blush ) in the hot weather ...I have preserved some seeds and hope to do better by it next spring !

Basil and bell peppers also deserve some mention because they did reasonably well under the circumstances.

This was my first attempt at tending a vegetable garden and I know that it is not a venture to be taken lightly...It does need a lot of work and patience.....I am too much of an amateur to pretend that I know all about it ...but I will say this...whatever the efforts, the rewards are amazing ! To be able to step into your backyard and come back into the kitchen with the makings of a healthy delicious meal is such an exhilarating feeling..I am already planning my spring bed !!!
What did you grow in your garden this year ?

Until the next post, may the grass always be greener on your side of the fence !

Green Thumb Series : Spring is in the air !

Its Springtime and you can tell ! Longer days, kids and parents alike, enjoying the outdoors, garden centers doing brisk business and gardeners giddy with the prospect of another season of puttering about in the soil, with thoughts of perennials, herb and vegetable gardens and such !!
Although I have been late in climbing aboard this wagon, the bug has definitely bitten me. Don't get me wrong...I have always loved plants and gardening, but never before had I been presented with such an array of goodies to help the novice gardener ! I browsed the internet for all things 'garden', local gardening centers got a visit or two :) Armed with a little knowledge and a willingness to spend a little, I made a couple of purchases and have set them into the soil !
Here are a few things that I am hoping will take root in my garden !!

Strawberries : Spring and summer always mean that the groceries will be displaying their freshest produce , vegetables and fruits alike. Red,luscious strawberries with the tantalizing green stems are an all time favourite allure. Although there are several mouth watering recipes readily available all over the web, this fruit is remarkably well adapted to be eaten right off the plant !(make sure, its washed though). So with these thoughts, I decided to go ahead and plant a few strawberries in my own backyard..Since I read that strawberries can do quite well in containers, I bought two window boxes, placed coffee filters over the holes and filled them with MiracleGro potting soil. I had soaked the strawberry roots in water for about an hour. As per the instructions, I placed the crown of the strawberry plant just below soil level and watered the boxes thoroughly. I also worked in some coffee grounds (courtesy: Starbucks) into the soil before planting.
Needless to say, the plants seem to be doing well and have thrown up leaves.
The variety that I got were Ozark Everbearing strawberries.
I am supposed to pinch of all flowers that the plants bear until the 1st of July. Any blossoms setting after that date will be allowed to develop into fruits( Yummy ) ...so watch this space for further developments !!!!


















Blueberries : I love blueberries: the colour, the
taste, the cuteness( oh they are cute little bursts of sweetness and sunshine, don't you think ? ) And blueberries are easy to grow at home...they need good soil and regular watering and a little TLC :) and you are sure to get the fruits of your labour or so I have been assured by the numerous articles that I read !
So I went ahead and got myself a blueberry plant...its still a small plant..got it in a 4 inch pot ..I am sure it will take another year or so before it starts fruiting well, but nothing is rewarded like a little patience, right ?



Beauty of Moscow Lilac : Lilacs are considered to be one of the most beautiful and aromatic flowers that can be grown. I chanced upon a description of the beautiful blooms, heady aroma and enduring colour of this particular lilac hybrid and I was Sold ! I ordered the plant the next day !! I am hoping that I will not have to wait too long to experience the joy that these blooms will provide, although I am happy to observe that the dormant plant that I got from the online nursery seems to be thriving in its sunny spot in my front yard. Several healthy green leaves have sprouted from each of its tiny branches and seems to be just a matter of time and a little attention !


I would love to hear what you have planted in your garden space this spring. I could always use more information and motivation from other gardeners, experienced or otherwise ! Happy Gardening and may the grass always be greener on your side of the fence :-D

Green Thumb - Starting an indoor collection..

I love gardening, or at least I think I do ! You see, I have not had the time nor the space to explore the possibilities before. But now, we have moved into a home and I am a stay at home mom, since my baby boy P was born. So I have everything that I need to find out whether I have a green thumb or not :-D

To that end, I have begun my gardening endeavours. It is limited mostly to container experimentation (its better that I refrain from using the word 'gardening' until I am sure that that is what I am doing ;-)



Most traditional Indian homes have the holy basil growing profusely...so I decided I would have one in my home too ! I had some seeds from back home and planted them in a container that I already had...left it out where it got plenty of sun and made sure that the soil was always moist.
Well, thankfully one plant is growing and giving out new leaves on a regular basis...hopefully other seeds will follow suit !



I also dreamed of having fruit trees in my backyard and what better than the papaya tree to lend a tropical touch ...I saved some seeds from a fruit that we got from the local supermarket..selected some dark seeds, broke the jelly covering surrounding the seeds and put them in another container...the idea was to let the seedlings grow a little before transplanting them into the garden. A plethora of articles has informed me that there are usually two types of papaya trees..male and female..the male tree is required to pollinate the flowers on the female tree if you expect to harvest the fruits ..A bisexual type of tree is also present, but is supposedly not common in the US
A few weeks passed and there was no sign of any kind of germination in the papaya container..My hopes were close to getting dashed and I was determined to have another go at it (that meant another trip to the supermarket)...Lo and behold, I was spared that trip when I checked the container the next morning and saw a single seedling peeking at me from down under (the soil, i.e) My joy knew no bounds...my little endeavour was succeeding :) Imagine then, my ecstasy when a lapse of a couple of more days provided three more companions to my previous lone sapling !!! I just hope that these are the correct sexes, so that I can have a papaya tree (or two) bursting with fruits !!

No garden is complete without some kind of flowers growing in it ! I purchased a packet of giant sunflower seeds (thats what the packet promises, we will have to wait and see on that one ! ) ..I planted some of the seeds in yet another container..just to give the poor little seeds a head start..just wanted to make sure that the seeds dont get eroded by this spate of rains that our part of the country has been under lately ! The seedlings spouted pretty quickly and grew to a height of a few inches, where upon I decided to set them free from their constraints and planted them out in the yard..I am pleased to report that the plants seem to be doing well...So also some creepy crawlies who seem to be relishing the leaves of my sunflower plants, but thats for another post...



And last but not the least, I also planted the Brahmi plant in yet another little container...More on the uses of this plant later...but suffice it to say that the plant is thriving well and threatening to over run my teeny container...will soon have to find a permanent and expanding place for this little acquisition..



So thats it, folks...that has been my initial foray into, ahem..container gardening...Will keep you updated on the results ..Until the next green thumb endeavour then..may the grass always be greener on your side of the fence :)

Next venture - Growing herbs at home