Bluebird Trail Walk for Thursday Jan 30 - CANCELLED

Three robins and a red-winged blackbird on the birdbath. A
song sparrow on the ground beneath them.

It isn't often that events are cancelled here because of snow but....the walk scheduled for January 30th at 10:00 am is officially cancelled due to snow. The roads might be semi-passable by Thursday morning but the trails will still be covered in snow.

The next walk will be Monday, Feb 10th at 10:00 am at Green Meadows Preserve on Dallas Highway.

If you have extra time, put out water for the birds. I had lots of visitors all day yesterday during the snow because I had the only unfrozen water around.

Forget Groundhog Day!

Hey Everyone,

Growing up in northeast Ohio the welcome indicator of springs approach was always the American Robin. A small number of the birds overwintered, but for the most part, November marked the calendar for an extended trip south for the winter.  Their pleasant return home in mid-February was a sure sign of winter's end, wrapped with the promise of warmer and less snowy days ahead.  While those over in Punxsutawney waited with anticipation to see what Phil (famous groundhog) had to say, our family had their own more reliable signs of seasons close to transition.  

Welcome to my trees little robin!

Times have changed over the last 20 years since making our move to Georgia.  Our friends and family back home say they now see more and more of the birds overwintering no matter how much the snow flies. According to the National Audubon Society, the numbers of robins remaining home for the winter has increased dramatically.  In the early seventies, you would see tallies of less than 5,000 birds remaining.  Now those same counts are closer to 30,000 birds forgoing their winter trip.                                                                                                             Over the years, many in the area have tried to point the finger as climate change being the mysterious culprit for their slowed migration south.  However, studies have shown that warming temperatures are playing only a minor factor, if any at all.  The true incentive in keeping the robins at home seems to be the increase and takeover of non-native plant species such as the invasive bush honeysuckle.

When the weather turns cold, robins switch their diet to mainly fruits and berries. Hawthorns, ornamental crabapples, and berry-producing shrubs offer a wonderful buffet from which they feast.                                                                                           Unfortunately, over the last few decades non-native bush honeysuckles have become rampant.  They take over much of the forest and produce a bumper crop of berries enticing the birds to stay put for the winter.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife states that the berries produced by these invasive honeysuckles are low in both lipids and proteins.  These nutrients are vital for providing birds with long-term sustenance when facing harsh winters.  If heavy ice or snowstorms prevent the birds from eating, they will not have the stored energy reserves from a high quality diet to ride out prolonged periods of bad weather.  This can bring havoc to the species. 

Over the last several days, hundreds of robins have flocked to the yard feasting on the fruit of the Cleveland Pears and berries of the Savannah Holly trees.  I am all too happy offering a wholesome meal before they make the long trek back to a place once called home.  I hope that the enticement of something high in nutrients will bring them back come next November.  In a life where change is constant there is comfort in knowing that some robins will still make the intelligent choice to fly south for the winter.  Even with snow on the ground, eyes are still drawn to the trees with simple joy found in the quintessential harbinger of spring who holds such a special place in my heart.  Punxsutawney Phil has an important day this weekend, but for those cooped up inside maybe needing an answer early; the cusp of spring is just around the corner.

Enjoy the unusual snow,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29 

Arbor Day Event at Trees Atlanta

The Master Gardeners have been asked to pass along this information about the first Trees Atlanta Arbor Day Event.  Trees Atlanta with the generous support of the City of Atlanta and Atlanta’s Tree Conservation Commission, announces the first Trees Atlanta Georgia Arbor Day Speaker Event with nationally recognized author, Jim Robbins. 

Please read the informative flyer above about the Thursday, February 20th speaker Jim Robbins, author of The Man Who Planted Trees and science writer for The New York Times. This first speaker of 2014 will present an inspirational presentation entitled ‘The Power of Trees And How It Can Help Save the World’.  For more details about Jim’s talk and to register access this link:  http://treesatlanta.givezooks.com/events/trees-atlanta-arbor-day-speaker-event-with-jim-robbins

A brief description from Jim about his talk:

“The things we do know about trees, and the many things we don't -- from their ability to clean up toxic waste to the ways scientists say they connect to the cosmos. Trees heal people, are critical to insects and wildlife as medicine, and, some scientists believe, even have a nervous system that allows them to think, strategize and communicate. Most importantly he explains why trees should be seen as an "ecotechnology" to accomplish a wide range of important functions to heal broken ecosystems and adapt a changing planet.”

Trees Atlanta is thrilled to be hosting Jim Robbins and hopes that you will reserve space to attend the event.  If there is interest in attending, send emails to Green Meadows and we can form a car pool as parking is somewhat limited in the parking lot but street parking is available.

Why Grow From Seed!

Hey Everyone,

Have you ever visited the garden centers and seen plants left wilted and neglected?  Unfortunately, this scenario happens more often than we realize.  Luckily, a clerk comes along with some water; the plants perk back up and then happily find their way to someone's home and garden.  The downside to this all too common picture is most often these water stressed seedlings have the odds already stacked against them.  Many of these plants will be unable to reach their maximum capabilities.  Commonly you will see these plants bolt prematurely, set less fruit, and more readily develop disease and pest problems.  This is also just one example, as there are too many to mention.

These are doing well indoors under a standard shop light
 with high output vegetative growth bulbs.

Strong viable seeds and healthy transplants are paramount for the success of any home garden. Seedlings that have naturally developed roots without the excess use of chemicals are more likely to reach their full potential in your garden with less dependence on fungicides and/or pesticides.  Healthier stock grown under optimum conditions not only sets the stage for success, but also minimizes the risk of introducing soil-borne diseases.  However, you must ensure the use of uncontaminated soil when germinating the seeds yourself.

I have found in starting my own seeds that the world is a playground when it comes to unique varieties to grow.  Instead of purchasing transplants geared for appealing to the masses, varieties are chosen for their historical value, intense flavors and textures, ability to adapt to our climate, and greater disease resistance.  By choosing these varieties wisely, yields often increase giving me an even bigger bang for the buck when getting the most back out of the garden.  I could not imagine a spring without Indiana Amish Lettuce or a summer without a Paul Robeson, Japanese Black Trifle, or Garden Peach Tomato.  They are truly heaven in a plant and never found at the local nurseries.

Elegance Greens from Johnny's Selected Seeds
getting some fresh air!

For those who may be interested in starting their own seeds, there are only a few basic principles involved.  Amy Whitney, a horticulturist from the Cobb County Extension Office teaches a wonderful class on the topic and has one coming up next month.   She is a seasoned gardener with over 20 years of experience and possesses a wealth of expertise and knowledge in this area.  Each class is informative and well worth the time spent attending.  The link below is to her blog with the upcoming dates mentioned.  For those unable to attend classes, all the major seed suppliers have abundant information on their web sites as well, relating to the germination of seeds and the care they require.

http://atlantaveggies.blogspot.com/2014/01/garden-plans-and-events.html - Link to Amy's blog from the Cobb County Extension Office.

In addition, these links will take you to the sowing guides from Botanical Interests.  They are informative charts with proper sowing times for many of the vegetables you may wish to grow.  Now is the proper time for starting many seeds and these charts serve as a useful tool for keeping the endeavor on track.  Most consider April 15th as our last frost date.

https://botanicalinterests.com/img/site_specific/uploads/IndSpgSowGuideVegHerb.pdf - link to the Indoor Spring Sowing Guide for Vegetables & Herbs.

https://botanicalinterests.com/img/site_specific/uploads/OutSpgSowGuideVegHerb.pdf - link to the Outdoor Spring Sowing Guide for Vegetables & Herbs.  This link is for those who prefer directly sowing their seeds into the garden.

Happy Sowing,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Simply Sprouts!

Hey Everyone,

One of our past gardeners has me hooked on growing sprouts.  The quality and freshness they possess is absolutely phenomenal.  Most often, the method of choice, for the simple ease of dishwasher cleanup, is a standard mason jar with a sprout screen.  This method in its simplest form does work extremely well. The only challenge is continuously having enough sprouts on hand.

Most economical way to sprout!

In seeking out some pH neutral pads without salt build-up for the trial of a hydroponic application, this site popped up. Increasing sprout production while continually finding new uses for things already on hand seems rather interesting to try.  The man doing the video, Matt Geschke, does an excellent job at giving simple and thorough instructions.

http://www.suretogrow.com/Sure-to-Grow%E2%84%A2-STG/pads - link to an informative video on how to sprout in an ordinary garden planting tray.  Video appears at the bottom of the web page.

For those who enjoy sprouting, the link below has clear instructions for each type of sprout available as well as a wealth of supplies and recipes.  It is such a pleasant surprise to have something so fresh and economical on hand in the dead of winter.

http://sproutpeople.org/growing-sprouts/sprouting-instructions/ - link to the instructions for sprouting every seed imaginable.

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

A Cast of Good Characters!

Hey Everyone,

While many are fighting the cold and flu season, spring fever has hit me like a ton of bricks.  I know it is only the start of January but fever induced moments of purchasing wonderful seed varieties and cultivars without rhyme or reason has struck hard.  Descriptions such as prolific producer, disease resistance, heat tolerance and incredible flavor get me every time.  It's a terrible bug and one can only hope it passes quickly!  Be careful, it may be contagious!

Lettuce varieties chosen for their resistance
to Downy Mildew and Heat.

Who will be the cast of characters for the 2014 growing season?  Who will take the leading role?  Equally exciting, who will receive the best supporting roles in the form of companion plants?  When a moment of strength finally presents itself, much thought will go into proper planning and looking towards seed varieties and cultivars that will perform well under the adverse growing conditions of our zone 7.

The link below is to a web page at Cornell University's Department of Plant Pathology.  If you click on some of the different vegetables to grow, a chart appears showing you varieties that offer the best resistance to disease and physiological disorders.  Choosing resistant varieties when deciding what to plant affords greater success for maintaining a healthy garden, especially in a community garden type-growing environment.  Some of the cultivars listed in these charts will be readily available at local garden centers; however, most do require growth from seed.

http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/Tables/TableList.htm - link to the charts at Cornell University offering information on disease resistance and physiological disorders among cultivars.

Similar in size and appearance
to Iron Lady tomato!

Cornell also published an interesting article last March on a newly developed tomato cultivar called Iron Lady.  This particular variety shows great promise at preventing not only both of the blights but septoria leaf spot as well.  By controlling all three of these fungal disorders, any dependence on fungicides is dramatically decreased, if not eliminated.  It has been difficult to obtain any true unbiased reviews on the taste of this variety or the brix content for those that like their tomatoes sweet, but a home trial this year should provide us with first-hand knowledge.  The links to Cornell's article and a nice write up on the cultivar are also below for your convenience.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/03/ready-plant-iron-lady-tomato-punches-out-blights - interesting article on a new blight resistant tomato out of Cornell.  It also contains the link to High Mowing Seeds who carry Iron Lady exclusively.

http://www.greenstar.coop/produce/108-news/983-new-tomato-fights-blight-high-mowing-organic-seeds-releases-qiron-ladyq - link to a nice write up on the Iron Lady tomato.

Similar in size and appearance
to Mountain Magic!

Many of the major seed companies will include traits and characteristics unique to each vegetable written within their descriptions.  For example, this link to Park Seed Company highlights Mountain Magic Hybrid Tomato Seeds.  If you scroll down to the resistance category, you will see it is resistant to both types of blight as well as several others of the common tomato diseases we face.  This makes Mountain Magic a nice variety to choose for planting in the garden.

http://parkseed.com/mountain-magic-hybrid-tomato-seeds/p/52522-PK-P1/ - link to a blight resistant tomato variety from Park Seed Company.

Mountain Magic actually originates from Dr. Randy Gardner, a retired tomato plant breeder out of North Carolina State University. Even while retired he still does amazing plant breeding work in collaboration with Cornell and NCSU and his varieties have been gracing my garden for years.  A link showing his other tomato discoveries is below and most are incredible hybrid performers without sacrificing taste or quality.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/staff/rgardner/ - link to Randy Gardner, Ph.D. profile and the tomatoes he has bred.

It is impossible to find a one size fits all when choosing the cast of characters for your garden.  The codes and claims you find on charts, tables, and written descriptions are only indicators for tilting the odds in your favor.  The environmental conditions you set the plant up to face, factors such as how you care for your soil, deal with pests, fertilization practices, as well as weather, are all integral parts of how well that particular plant will thrive and produce.  However, armed with the knowledge on how to choose plants wisely and tilting those odds in our favor should help us all succeed in our gardening endeavors.

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Butternut Squash Risotto

Hey Everyone,

Simply Delightful!

With the pre-cut butternut squash readily available in stores, this recipe makes up quite easily.  For the life of me, I cannot remember where the recipe ever came from, but it certainly is a family favorite.  It serves two as a full dinner or makes four to six good size side dishes.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

3 cups vegetable broth

3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. Bertolli Extra Light Virgin Olive Oil

2 containers of pre-cut butternut squash or two medium butternuts, peeled with the seeds removed and diced into half inch cubes

1 med - large sweet onion, diced

3/4 to 1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup and about another half of that, dry white cooking wine

3 Tbsp. freshly chopped chives
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper to taste

Wedge of Parmesan cheese, shaved
                                                                                                             Directions:

Squash and onion sauteing in olive oil.

Combine broth and water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low and maintain.

Over medium heat in a large saucepan add olive oil and saute cubed butternut squash and onion.  Cook until the squash becomes tender and the onions start to brown a bit.  It usually takes about 15 to 18 minutes.  

Add the Arborio rice, stir continuously, and cook for about a minute.  Add the white wine and stir constantly until all liquid is absorbed.

Stirring constant and gentle, add a half ladle full of simmering broth and cook until the liquid is absorbed.  Repeat this step several times for about another 15 to 18 minutes. 

Add the simmering broth a little at a time.

The Arborio rice should be creamy-like in appearance and still have that true al dente structure when done.  

Reduce heat, stir in chives, season with salt & pepper, and serve immediately with a garnish of fresh-shaved Parmesan cheese.  See photo above.

A fresh baguette makes a nice compliment for a complete meal.

Hope You Enjoy and 

Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29