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February 21, 2023February 21, 2023

Cucumbers

Written by Jillian Getchell

Overview: Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are long, lean, and green garden vegetables. Technically, they’re fruits from the same family as watermelons and pumpkins, but most people consider them veggies (WebMD). They grow best in warm-seasons and are onsidered an annual plant. There are three main varieties of cucumber—slicing, pickling, and seedless. They are very hydrating and come with many benefits to eating them.

Seed Starting: Cucumbers thrive best at relatively high temperatures, between 75 to 85 degrees. If you choose to start them indoors, plant the seeds about a half inch deep in 3” pots, only planting 1-2 seeds per pot as they grow quickly. The best soil to use is high quality compost. If growing outside, its important to know that the plants do not tolerate frost, so wait until the soil warms in the spring. Seeds generally germinate in about 10 days when it’s around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. When planting directly in the garden, make hills for the seeds. Spacing for hills should be four to six feet apart with six to eight cucumber seeds per hill (SFGATE).

Growing Advice: Cucumbers will grow quickly with little care. Be sure they receive at least an inch of water every week. Do not plant them near potatoes, as they release a substance in the soil that greatly hinders the growth of cucumbers. And planting them nearby can have devastating effects on your cucumber crops. However, there are some crops that are highly beneficial if you plant cucumbers near, like radishes. When grown nearby or with cucumbers, they help repel harmful insects like cucumber beetles and aphids that attack tender cucumber plants (Source: Old World Garden Farms).

Harvesting: Harvest cucumbers when they grow to at least six to eight inches in length. It is best to harvest them on the earlier side to reap the rewards of their sweet flesh and tender seeds. They will grow bigger and can still be eaten when harvested later. You can keep harvested cucumbers in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days, but use them as soon as possible after picking for best flavor. If you don’t eat a slicing cucumber all at once, cover the unused portion in plastic wrap to prevent dehydration in the refrigerator (Bonnie Plants).

Watermelon Salad With Cucumber and Feta Recipe

Feta cheese, sweet watermelon, and crispy cucumber make a stunning summer salad. Add some lime juice and fresh mint and basil for taste!

Recipe:

In a large bowl add the watermelon, cucumber, feta, basil and mint. Squeeze the lime over the salad, drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Ingredients Needed:

1 mini watermelon (approximately 4 cups), rind removed and cubed
2 Persian cucumbers (approximately 1 cup), sliced
3 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil to taste

photo citations are attached to the pictures*

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023

Hydrangeas

By Chloe Newell

Hydrangeas bushes are beautiful pom-pom looking flowers that are native to our zone 6 climate. Hydrangeas bushes can be seen all over Massachusetts in various assortments of colors based on the soil. Before planting your hydrangea, you should plan out which type you’d like to bloom. Use acidic soil for blue or purple-blue hydrangeas. Alkaline soil with a pH above 7 for pink and red hydrangeas. Alkaline soil with a pH below 7 creates a purple hydrangea. (Source : HGTV).

Photo by Victoria Syverson on Flickrhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/124651729@N04/51243638915

Seed Starting Advice

Most people who are starting to grow hydrangeas start with the root. This can be done in the ground or in a pot.

Plant in an area with partial sun.
Trim around the root for parts that look rotting.
Dig a hole deep enough to cover the entire root, leaving 2 to 3 inches on the sides of the root.
Make sure that the top of the root meets the top layer of soil.
Remove root from hole, fill soil with water halfway.
Once water has absorbed, replace the root back into soil and fill the hole with water.
Re-water the plant once again.

(Source : The Almanac)

Growing Advice

When growing hydrangeas bushes, you will need to plant them at least 3 to 10 feet apart (Source : The Almanac). This will give them plenty of space to grow out and not be on top of each other. When it comes to protecting them from pests, you should keep your eye out for holes within the flowers. Slugs can be discovered when there are munches on your petals, and can be reduced using slug traps. Other insects, like scale, aphids, beetles and fruit worms, can be reduced using an insect control spray. ( Source : Esponma).

Harvesting Advice

Avoid cutting your hydrangeas when it is hot outside, since this will cause the flower to wilt. Cut within the months of August and October, which is when they are at their blooming season. Pick when the flowers are fully bloomed. (Source : Garden Guides).

Arrangement Inspiration

The most perfect bouquet featuring hydrangeas include different types of roses, like spray roses and African roses. They also pair well with peonies and dahlias. Alongside these statement flowers, you can add smaller greens, such as babies breath, eucalyptus, delphinium, foxglove, freesia, and bells of Ireland (Source : Cascade Floral Wholesale) When it comes to the colors of the arrangement, you want them to match based on what color hydrangeas you are using. When using blue or purple hydrangeas, you should stick to a more cool toned bouquet, and when you’re using pink, you should use more warm toned flowers- white is the middle ground and can be mixed with either color. Below is an example of a bouquet mixed with both warm and cool colors that looks beautiful as well.

Arrangement done by Flores & Co on The Florist Market

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023

My First Garden Experience

By Julia Hamilton

When I was in kindergarten my town library had a garden program where children could pick four different types of seeds to plant. The library supplied the seeds, the soil, and peat planters. The four types of seeds I chose for my garden were tomato, cucumber, zucchini, and carrots. I planted them, watered them, and made sure they got enough sun.

*Merrimac Public Library. Photo Credit: Julia Hamilton*.

In a couple of weeks sprouts began to pop through the soil, and I was so excited. As the pants grew bigger we saw that the plants would soon need to be transplanted. We chose to do a container garden and picked out large clay pots to transfer the plants into. There are woods behind my house that have animals that might eat our garden, so we decided to get a garden fence to put around the plants to protect them. The garden was growing well and the plants started to flower, which would soon turn into vegetables. We had a trip planned one weekend, and watered our plants well and made sure the fence was secure.

When we left the zucchini plants were about three or four feet high with a lot of flowers. They were on the end of our container garden. When we got back from our trip we could not wait to see how our garden was doing. We were surprised about what we saw on our return home. The tall zucchini plants that we had left a few days before were eaten down to the stems. Our best guess was that some deer got into our yard and ate all of our promising zucchini blossoms. They had not gotten to the rest of the plants so we did get to enjoy our tomato, cucumbers, and carrots. We learned a lesson with our first garden. Make sure that your fence is tall enough to protect your plants of you have wildlife around.

*Cucumber. Photo Credit: Julia Hamilton*

February 20, 2023February 20, 2023

Cape Cod Striped Bass

Over the last 3 years, Cape Cod Bay has called me to its dark blue waters, sandy beaches, rough tides, and vast amounts of roaming saltwater fish species. During the hot summer months, many fish species migrate from coastal southern states to feed on baitfish in the cooler waters off Cape Cod. One of the species of migrating fish, and arguably the most sought-after fish for fishermen in the area, is the striped bass.

After a July 4th night full of fun and fireworks, my girlfriend, her father (Paul), and I prepared for a fishing trip the next morning. As the sun rose on July 5, 2021, and the fish began to feed, we had a feeling that today would be the day we would catch some fresh fish for dinner. Leaving the boat ramp, Paul navigated the boat towards the deep waters in search of mackerel, a striped bass’ favorite snack-sized meal. In just a few minutes, the livewell on the boat was full of mackerel, and we began our search for the aggressive schools of striped bass.

Mackerel (bottom of the screen) and striped bass (top of screen) after a fishing trip. Credit: Bryce M.

After catching our bait, Paul found a giant school of striped bass moving right underneath the boat. Within seconds, we dropped down our live mackerel and began patiently waiting for a bass to take the bait. While the boat drifted, I felt an aggressive tug from a fish swimming right beneath us. After a 12 minute long fight, the tired striped bass was boat side and ready to be brought aboard, and Paul scooped the fish into a large net. Excitement filled us all.

Myself with the 43-inch striped bass. Credit: Paul M.

Striped bass are highly regulated with catch limits and size restrictions in Massachusetts. This 43-inch bass was over the legal size to keep of 35 inches for recreational fishermen like myself. These large fish are only allowed to be kept by commercial fishermen within the fishing industry, so we released this fish safely.

There is definitely some level of satisfaction behind catching or harvesting the very food you eat, especially when it comes to fresh fish. After a long day on the ocean, the most refreshing thing for me is eating a nice meal, packed with nutrients from the striped bass we caught that morning. However, since I am primarily a catch-and-release fisherman, releasing this fish gave me a sense of happiness. As my dad has told me since I was a young fishermen, “let them go…let them grow”.

– Written by: Bryce Miranda

February 20, 2023February 20, 2023

Zinnias

Overview: Zinnias are easy to grow, come in six distinct colors and can be used for seasoning and flavor in several dishes.

Seed Starting: Zinnias prefer warm environments with plenty of sunshine, the soil should preferably be +70 degrees Fahrenheit and should be planted at ¼ inches deep. Different variants, like Envy, Burpee, Carousel and “Will Rogers”, will require differing amounts of space between plants, but only to allow proper air flow between them and to prevent diseases. The soil must be well fed and kept moist, but must not become soggy or risk the seeds drowning. (Source: The Spruce – make your best home) Zinnias can even be transplanted easily either indoors or outdoors.

Growing Advice: Zinnias are best planted a week after the final frost of winter, usually around mid to late April. If you want the flowers to appear more bushy, pinch the bulb off of the younger plants, this will encourage the plants to grow even bigger bulbs to replace them.

Harvesting: Be sure to allow a few flowers to develop to the point of seeding, then simply collect them from the bulb. To transplant the flowers, simply dig up the flower without removing the roots and place it in a replacement patch with properly tended soil. (Source: Garden Gate Magazine)

Recipe: Zinnia Limeade

Want to prepare some fancy drinks for a party? Try this recipe to make your zinnias taste as good as they look.

Source: Gazette Journals – Flower Recipes

Ingredients:

1/8 c. zinnia petals, tightly packed
4 c. water
Zest from 1 lime
2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
1 c. lime juice
1 c. sugar

Steps:

Step 1 Rinse zinnia petals and place in a small saucepan.
Step 2 Add 1 c. sugar, 1 c. water, lime zest and mint.
Step 3 Heat mixture until sugar dissolves. (Don’t boil.)
Step 4 Remove from heat and let syrup cool for 5 minutes.
Step 5 Strain syrup through colander.
Step 6 Add lime juice and remaining water by pouring through a strainer that still contains boiled zest, petals and mint.
Step 7 Chill and serve over ice.

Note: Can freeze ice with mint leaves in them. CANDIED OR CRYSTALLIZED FLOWERS

Post written by Patrick Aucella

February 18, 2023February 18, 2023

Sunflowers

Overview: Known as one of the easiest plants to grow, Sunflowers come in a variety of colors, and can be used in bouquets as decor or harvested for their seeds as a tasty snack.

Seed Starting: Sunflowers prefer warm sandy soil and a sunny location. It is best to sow them directly in your garden but they can also grow well in outdoor containers. Regular varieties prefer a soil depth of around 1 to 1 ½ inches deep spaced about six inches apart, (source: Farmer’s Almanac) (If planting multiple seeds make rows 30 inches apart from one another) Thin sunflowers to the strongest ones once they’ve hit about 6 inches tall. Due to their large stems, if planting larger varieties of sunflowers it is recommended to plant them in an area sheltered from winds as their heads make them top-heavy and susceptible to blowing over, damaging their stems.

Growing Tips: A small amount of fertilizer mixed in with the soil at the time of planting will help encourage strong root growth which will help support stems. It is best to plant sunflowers after spring frost has passed, which means if you live in New England, could mean anywhere from April to mid-June.

Harvesting Flowers for bouquets: Cut the main stem of the flower just before the bud opens. Cut stems early in the morning to avoid wilting. Handle flowers gently and keep them in a tall container, changing the water every day to keep them fresh. In floral arrangements, roses, snapdragons, chrysanthemums, and irises pair well with sunflowers.

Harvesting Seeds: Let the flowers dry on or off the stem until the back of the head turns brown and the leaves turn yellow, the petals die and the seeds look large and loose. Using sharp scissors or gardening pruners, cut off the head of the plant leaving about 6 inches, and place the head in a container to catch seeds. Lie the flower head on a clean flat surface, to remove the seeds, run your hand over the area you’re trying to remove, and pull seeds off the plant.

Post writen by Haley Dufton

June 30, 2022June 30, 2022

Beets

Overview: Beets (Beta vulgaris) are a hardy vegetable that can survive the cold temperatures of New England. These colorful plants are a great addition to your garden and are perfect for a beginner gardener!

A white bowl holds three different colors of beets: golden, bull's blood red, and chiogga, which has pink and white stripes — A bowl of chiogga (striped), golden, and bull’s blood beets

Seed Starting: Plant seeds in soil that is free of rocks, as their roots cannot develop properly with them in the way. Seeds should be planted very early spring, about 4 weeks before the last frost. A second crop can be sown in early August. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep and 1-2 inches apart from each other directly into the bed in which you wish to grow them. Beet seeds (little balls) are actually a clump of 2-4 seeds. Soaking them before planting can speed germination and soften that hard seed coat. Make sure they are watered sufficiently for proper germination as well!

To level up, consider multi-sowing beets, which means starting multiple seeds in trays or six-packs before transplanting into the garden (Source: Tiny Garden Habit). As the beets mature in a group, they push the other beets out. You simply harvest the biggest one of the bunch and let the others continue to grow.

Growing Advice: Beets prefer full sun – at least 6 hours a day! Once your seeds germinate and start to grow, you should thin your plants to around 5-6 inches apart so that their roots will have space to spread. No need to pull up the plants to do this – you can just cut off the greens at the tops to not disturb the other beets. They should get 1 inch of water per square foot weekly.

Harvesting Advice: Beets push up and show their size above ground. When a beet reaches the desired size (maybe 1-3 inches in diameter), gently pull it from the ground. Note that beets can lose their sweetness and become “woody” if they get too big.

Sauteed Beet Greens Recipe

While beets are tasty, their leaves are equally so! Here is a zero-waste recipe for sautéed beet tops. (Originally found here). You will need:

1 bunch beet greens
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons golden raisins
Lemon wedge
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or pistachios
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Separate the stems from the beet greens. Finely chop the stems and coarsely chop the leaves.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the beet stems and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beet greens, a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté, tossing, until just wilted.
Turn off the heat, add the raisins, a big squeeze of lemon, and toss. Transfer to a platter, top with the walnuts and season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Written by Sophia Beland

June 30, 2022June 30, 2022

Peppers

Overview: Peppers are another versatile vegetable that have their own measurement called scovilles. Scovilles measure how hot peppers range from bell peppers, around 0-2,000, to the hottest peppers in the world like the carolina reaper at 1.5 million scovilles and higher.

Seed Starting: plant pepper seeds 1-2 feet apart. Peppers like partial shade and well drained soil. Peppers are often

Growing Advice: Peppers do well with a trellis or fence to climb and to bear the weight of the peppers as they mature.

Harvesting: Harvest peppers with a knife or scissors when to desired size, bell peppers typically will be in full color (in accordance with seed type) and around the size of hand.

Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
Tenderize the beef: In a medium bowl, using your hands, mash the beef with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the baking soda. Let sit for 20 minutes while you continue with the recipe.
Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil for easy clean-up, if you like. Place the peppers, cut side up, in the baking dish; drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
Roast the peppers for about 20 minutes, until slightly browned and tender-crisp. A bit of liquid will accumulate in the bottom of the peppers; that’s okay.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more; do not brown. Add the ground beef mixture, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned and almost cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, until the meat is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and ¾ cup of the cheese, and stir until melted. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Remove the peppers from the oven and spoon the meat filling evenly into the peppers. Sprinkle with the remaining ¾ cup cheese and place back in the oven. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted and bubbling, and serve.
Make-Ahead Instructions: The peppers can be partially cooked and filled with the beef mixture up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, cover the dish with foil, and bake in a 425°F-oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and remove and discard the foil. Top the peppers with the cheese and place back in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Recipe from Once Upon a Chef https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/stuffed-peppers.html

June 30, 2022June 30, 2022

Watermelon

Overview: Watermelons are Annuals (only one life cycle). They typically take 80-90 days from seed to full maturity. You’ll get 1-3 fruit per plant

Seed Starting: The best time to start the seeds would be late spring to summer for planting, the soil must reach 70º Fahrenheit before growth can start. Watermelons needs 3-5 feet between growing plants

Growing Advice: Unless living in a warm/ tropical climate, watermelons will need lots of attention and care. plastic bags, green houses, kiddie pools, etc are all commonly used to warm up that soil to start the seeds. When the melons mature to the point of weighing down to the ground, put straw underneath to prevent molding.

Harvesting: home grown melons are often much smaller than bought or farm grown, so keep this in mind when it comes time to harvest.

Recipe for Watermelon Salad

cut up watermelon and red onion into a fine mince.
Rinse onions in ice water to remove bite
Add feta cheese crumbles, basil, and top with balsamic glaze of choice.

By; Jackie Rosney

One small watermelon on vine being held — Small watermelon plant

June 30, 2022June 30, 2022

Potatoes

Overview: Potatoes are a meal staple all over the world. The starchy vegetable is one of the most versatile, there are hundreds of ways to prepare and enjoy them.

Seed Starting: Started from seed potatoes from either pieces or whole small potatoes. One potato seed can yield as many as 10 potatoes. Potatoes need full sun and loose soil.

Growing Advice: cut up seed potatoes and let them dry out, this helps prevent rot. The bigger the plot or pot the better, more room can mean more potatoes under the right circumstances.

Harvesting: the potatoes will sprout a plant with vines and flowers, when these vines start to die that’s when the potatoes are at their most mature and are ready to be dug up.

Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wash potatoes and slice into ⅛” thin slices. Slice onion as thin as possible.
Layer potatoes and onions in little stacks. Place stacks upright in a greased casserole 2.5qt to 3qt dish.
Melt butter & flour in a saucepan and cook 2-3 minutes. Add seasonings and milk. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted.
Spoon cheese sauce over potatoes. Cover with foil (sprayed with cooking spray) and bake 60 minutes.
Remove foil and bake an additional 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned and potatoes are cooked. Cool 15 minutes before serving.
recipe from Spend with Pennies https://www.spendwithpennies.com/au-gratin-potatoes/

By: Jackie Rosney