Preserving Acorn Squash Seeds

KD is sick. Time to make some good soup. I saw a great recipe in my Food and Wine magazine (Nov. 09 issue) for Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds and I also remember another magazine recipe for Carrot-Butternut Squash soup (can't recall which magazine, I get so many!). So, inspired by these recipes, I am going to make Carrot, Leek, Acorn Squash soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds.

A few minutes ago, I cracked open the acorn squash (using the chefs knife and rubber mallet trick) and scooped out the seeds. Though I have roasted these seeds in the past-like 4 days ago- I am not a big fan. But, I just don't want to throw them away.

I whipped on the Internet to see if I could save the seeds for the garden next spring. Of course. Of course, the Internet is teeming with info about this.

Bottom line. Clean the seeds. Put them on a newspaper, cloth, paper towel (basically something absorbent). Let them dry. Then when they are dry. Put them on new absorbent material. Stick them in a cool dry place for about a week to really dry out. Then stick them in a bag or foil and save them until next spring. Done and done. Here is a nice little article, short and sweet about it.

I'll give it a try! Can't hurt, it will be an experiment.

Meet My Winter Bulbs

Several years ago, my Aunt sent me an amaryllis bulb in November. It came with a cheap plastic pot and a hockey puck shaped disc of freeze-dried soil. The instructions called for adding warm water to the puck, fluffing the soil (it grew substantially), and inserting the bulb. Easy enough. I set it on the mantle and watered it occasionally. To my surprise, it grew inches each week and eventually, around December 20th or so, it bloomed the most beautiful flowers ever.

Sadly, it met an early demise when the flimsy pot was just not strong enough for the extremely top heavy flower. It toppled and that was the end.

Though I absolutely loved the flower and the festive attitude it brought to the house, I didn't recreate the scene in the following years. You have all probably seen the amaryllis kits on sale at stores and they are, all things considered, pretty expensive. I mean, who wants to pay 15 dollars for one bulb and a crappy, cheap looking pot. So I went without. Why it didn't occur to me to just buy the bulb at a nursery, I don't know. Either way, I didn't buy the bulbs. It might be a secret fear of figuring out how to force bulbs. I tried it once and it did not work-- at all.

About a month ago, I was at Anderson's Nursery with SRC and my mom. I was in a daring mood, so I bought three bulbs. The bulbs were paperwhites and pretty cheap- I figure, if I failed at least I didn't waste too much money. Yes, there were amaryllis bulbs, but I resisted, or refused, I can't really say. I wrapped the three bulbs in a kitchen towel and promptly stuck them in the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

In steps the amaryllis. I have been up in Northern Cali quite a bit in the last month or so. A little over a week ago I was strolling the Ukiah Wal-Mart (because that is just what you do), and behold, the same amaryllis kit that I received from my aunt was staring at me! You know what, it was only 5 dollars (yeah....it was wal-mart after all). I bought it, ditched the crappy pot and packed it in the luggage for the trip to SD.

Last Wednesday, I planted it. The bulb was ready for planting, I could already see the pale greenish white sprout forming on the top of the bulb. Also, I checked the paperwhites and found that two out of the three had the little sprout forming as well. One was actually developing roots. The third was not ready and was replaced in the refrigerator. I planted the paperwhites in some crappy left over soil from the summer. I figured that since these suckers could grow in just water and rocks, crappy soil would be just fine.

Here are the pictures from exactly one week later. Are you growing any winter bulbs? Please share. I will do my best to post new pictures every week to track their progress. I really hope I can get some beautiful flowers. I am thinking of starting the third bulb in some pretty rocks and a squat glass vase, perhaps it can be a gift.

 

 

Amaryllis in a pretty pot from my Grandma. Week 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paperwhites in Ikea pots. Week 1.

I'm Back!

I've been so silent lately. So sad. It is all because I was out of town wine tasting and such. I have some pictures to load and a nice little story about some serious gardening---no farming. As soon as I get the pictures on my computer, it is all yours.

Stay in touch.

That's a Luffa

Oh Yeah!

After all the fussing over this luffa plant, I actually got one luffa. There are two more small gourds growing that aren't ready. But this one had a hollow feeling, so I picked it. I was able to peal the leathery skin off and rinse out most of the seeds. I feel so accomplished.

Marjoram in the Garden

As it turns out, I have no recollection of ever actually cooking with marjoram. For some reason, though, I thought it was about time have some in my fall herb (container) garden. I spent about 3 dollars on a 4 inch marjoram plant (I also bought an oregano plant because I have failed in growing it from seed). As I reflect, I am certain I made a mistake because, rather than start with new soil, I just re-used the dirt from my summer garden without adding any compost or other type of fertilizer. (I'll have to remedy the situation soon). Not a great way to start off the fall herb garden.

I have another confession to make: I also planted this small (consisting only of oregano and marjoram) herb garden in a giant pot. The pot that housed two tomato plants and a marigold.

Despite shortcomings, the plants seem to be thriving. The marjoram is all about flowering. I also planted some basil seeds, sage seeds, green onion seeds, parsley, and chive seeds... I figure, why the hell not. So far, several basil seeds have germinated. The green onions are a few inches tall and there are a few parsley sprouts. Time will tell if these guys hang on.

I digress.

Origanum Majorana. Genus Origanum (think marjoram and oregano). Family Lamiaceae (think basil, thyme, lavender, rosemary, oregano,mint). Marjoram and oregano are of the same genus and are strikingly similar, even difficult to tell apart. There are thought to be 44 species of origanum (yikes! Some plants are tall, some spreading, some are conveniently used as ground cover for their anchoring qualities) The two can be used interchangeably in cooking (if your palate isn't too discerning). Marjoram is generally milder than oregano and some people, including me, describe it as having a citrus taste with floral hints. The flowers of oregano are purple/lavender, while, marjoram has white flowers.

According to Sunset Magazine, Sweet Marjoram needs well drained soil and only moderate water (I am never sure what that means exactly). It is a perennial or annual, depending on where you live (I have a perennial). It is supposedly easy to grow and likes to be really trimmed several times a year.

Here is an interesting tidbit: what you and I think of as Italian Oregano (or the stuff in pasta and pizza sauces) usually a cross between Origanum Vulgare (oregano) and Origanum Majorana (sweet marjoram). Real oregano is commonly called 'wild marjoram.' Oh, and if some one refers to 'sweet oregano,' they are talking about marjoram. Just fantastic. If you want some regular peppery tasting oregano, try 'Greek oregano.' If you want really spicy oregano find some za'atar, a spicy Middle Eastern oregano (yes, the sauce is named after the main ingredient). I was wondering about Mexican Oregano, so I did a search. Turns out to be a whole other source of confusion (try out this article if you are curious). In a nutshell, it is not in the Origanum genus or even the Lamiaceae family, rather it is in the Verbenaceae family (think lemon verbena).

My very smart friend Samin, suggested I dry some of my marjoram and oregano by hanging stems upside down in a dry dark spot. Sounds like fun. I will take pictures of the process. I am thinking everyone gets some oregano and marjoram under the Christmas tree (hey, we are in a recession...).

Now I just need a few vegetarian suggestions for casual uses for marjoram and I am in business. Anyone?

Some Links:

Check out the Herb Society of America's Guide to the Genus Origanum.

A great article about marjoram and oregano from Sunset Mag.

Growing Marjoram

Black Caterpillar in Marigold

Sorry for the silence for the last two weeks or so. I was off visiting my granny in RI. So, thanks KD for watering. Everything is looking good over here. I have much to report about new garden items and several that I had to let go. Check back in soon!

I saw what looked like animal refuse on the petals of my marigold. Upon closer inspection I found that it was actually a jet black caterpillar. I tried to take a good picture, but ended up with this one. I wonder what kind of moth/butterfly it would have been.

P.S. You may remember my story about the 20 cent packet of seeds I bought from Wal Mart. Yes, this is the result of those seed packets. I have many wild looking marigolds!

How Tropical!

The local swap meet in SD is named Kobey's.  I have no idea why our swap meet has a proper name, but it does.  I used to go to Kobey's when I was a kid.  It contained loads of perfect finds for teenage girls.  Tons of cheap hair-thingies, bags, and backpacks.  I think I got a knock-off Esprit bag when I was in elementary school.  Ha. 

KD and I took a trip to Kobey's last weekend.  She had spotted these wrap dresses two weeks earlier when she was there.  We decided that we couldn't live without these dresses, so off we went to the swap meet.  It certainly hadn't changed much: still loads of hair-thingies.  There were some really cool booths with handmade purses and other handmade items, and there were some booths that looked like really bad yard sales- crap, crap, and crap. 

And, there were booths and booths of plants.  KD was not interested in strolling and shopping, so I could really only glance from afar.  But, I did manage to get one purchase in: a cutting from a dragon fruit for a buck.

It is likely that I will mess this up somehow.  The foot long spiny and prickly cutting is very handsome (as you can see in the pic).  But, I stuck the spine in some dirt and watered. 

Has anyone ever tasted a dragon fruit? After a terse search, I learned that these plants are quite tropical and grow in Hawaii, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Also, the flowers bloom at night so they are not pollinated by bees, but by other insects and moths.  Depending on how well my cutting does, I can expect fruit in 6-9 months. 

P.S. I also broke down and bought an Italian Oregano plant (not at Kobey's).  Planting from seed did not work out.  Has anyone had success growing oregano from seed?