J for Jalapenos, Candied Jalapenos that is..

From Dyes to Peppers, I'm all over the garden this week.

Spring pepper Plants in our Garden

Peppers have gained a huge amount of popularity lately, they aren't just for poppers and nachos anymore.  As far as flavors go the hotter the better and they have been being added to things you wouldn't expect.

Jalapenos fall into what I would consider a middle category, younger peppers can be mild and as they age they become hotter. So if you are looking for the pepper flavor you can generally gage the heat by the age of the pepper. Young peppers are generally uniformly green and smooth, as they age you will see striations on the pepper and them fully ripe or hotter Jalapenos will be red or orange. The heat falls  within a wide range on the Scoville Chart, from 1,000 to 20,000. The majority of the heat in the pepper is found with in the seeds and interior membrane that holds the seeds, These membranes and seeds can be removed to lower the overall heat level of the pepper.

Many varieties of peppers are now available in nurseries and the big box stores but starting your own peppers from seeds can be very rewarding. Seed catalogues are offer more and more varieties with more and more heat each year, so there is something for everyone's palate. Stating Jalapenos is just like starting any other pepper. You'll need a good starting soil and someplace warm. Warmer climates such as South Florida can direct sow peppers but the rest of us aren't as lucky. Pepper seeds are ones that need to be started very early, as early as 10 weeks before the last frost in order to have the plant ready for the normal transplanting season. Som varierities can take 4 to 6 weeks to germinate and others take only a couple, but they all need a very warm area, generally above 70 degrees. You'll want to hold off on transplanting until the night time temps are staying above 50 degrees and the soil has warmed at least 2 inches down. Peppers are slow growers and need the heat to grow properly.

Plant them at least a foot  a part, once they have established themselves expect that they can grow from 2 to 4 feet tall but have a compact spread. They are fairly drought tolerant, and enjoy heat and humidity. They can also be planted in containers due to the compact size. One plant can produce many pounds of peppers that can vary in heat due to when they are picked.

Last year we had bouts of dry and wet but ended up with a huge amount of peppers that lasted well into November because of the very mild fall we experienced.  So since we had such a glut of peppers we went looking for a good way to extend the life of the peppers. We pickled quite a few for sandwiches and other recipes but we had a friend who recommended a pickling them in a vinegar and sugar syrup. These retain their heat but with a slightly sweet offset. We've heard it called Cowboy Candy, we call them Candied Jalapenos and have seen them used in various forms. At our house they are often eaten right out of the jar or with cream cheese and crackers similar to how pepper jelly is eaten around the holidays in our neck of the woods. I'll share our recipe and hopefully it's something you might try later this year when the peppers are on. It is a water bath canning recipe.

You'll Need;

• 3 lbs of firm Jalapenos 
• 2 cups of Cider Vinegar
• 6 cups of Sugar ( I know it sounds like a ton but it's best not to skimp on it)
• 1/2 teaspoon Celery Seed
• 3 Teaspoons Granulated Garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
• 8 1/2 pint (or 4 Pint) Canning Jars and lids 

These peppers can be very hot so it's best to work with gloves while you are cutting and trimming.

Trim the ends of the peppers off and slice into 1/4 of an inch rounds. Then set them aside

In a large pot bring the Vinegar, Sugar, Celery Seeds, Garlic,Turmeric and red pepper flakes to a boil.

Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Then add your peppers to the simmering pot, let it continue to simmer for 4 minutes then bring it up to a boil. 

While it's boiling process your clean jars and lids in hot water. Once the peppers have simmered, some will look more wilted than others and that's okay. Transfer them to the heated jars with a slotted spoon, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Bring the liquid back up to Boiling and boil for another 6 minutes. Now transfer the hot liquid carefully to the jars to just cover the peppers. Run a knife along the inside of the jars so any trapped air bubbles can be released. 

Wipe the rims of the jars and place your lids finger tight. Place jars in your canner with at least 2 inches of water over the jars and boil for 10 minutes for 1/2 pints and 15 minutes for pints. Remove from canner and place hot jars on a towel to set overnight. Once they have cooled you'll still want to hold off on popping the jars open for a treat. They need another 2 to 4 weeks to fully come into flavor. It's hard but the wait is well worth it. This recipe can be doubled and trust me when I tell you that you'll be glad you did.

Thanks for following along on my A to Z Journey, Wednesday's letter is K and I'll be exploring ideas for that strange vegetable Kohlrabi, you know you'll want to hear about that!

See you in the Garden!

Indigo for the Dye..or I

image from www.wildcolours.co.uk

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I've been talking about plants for food and plants for companion plantings, but now I want to bring up a plant that has a different use. Indigo is a plant that grows best in warm humid climates and is used as a natural dye. It is a deep blue often most associate with a denim color. It sets well but also fades but keeps it's beautiful blue tone. Natural dyes and food dyes are something I've been learning more about, I'd like to be able to add a few dye options to our garden this year for dying wool and yarn


The dye is extracted from the leaves so it takes a lot of plants to produce a usable amount of dye. Due to this issue in the 1880's the creator of Baeyer Aspirin, Adolf Von Baeyer, researched the chemical composition of Indigo. Later K. Heumann would build on this research to synthesize pathway to produce indigo, within 14 years they would be creating indigo in a lab. Baeyer would go on to earn a Nobel Prize in 1905 for his work. Of course the downside to this is the amount of harsh chemicals that are used to create this popular dye color. Many companies are now researching a more environmentally friendly alternative.

I'm actually getting my seeds from The Woolery, if you are interested in Indigo or other types of dye plants check with your Ag office, some could be considered invasive and can't be shipped to your area. If you can't find Indigo in your area an alternative is Woad.

Indigo is part of the legume family, the same family as beans and alfalfa. It can grow as a shrub up to 5 feet tall and can be annual, biennial or perennial depending on your garden zone. It can also be used in a short season as a cover crop like other legumes, since it will add nitrogen to the soil.

 The best time to harvest the leaves is just before the blooms emerge, only harvesting half so the plant doesn't suffer. The leaves will need to be soaked in water first, then fermented and then lye is added to the resulting mixture to create the dye. Which can be used to dye fabrics and yarn.

If you are interested in dyeing with natural dyes the US Forest Service has this great page that talks about what plants create certain colors and how they have been used in the past.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the extensive list of bloggers who are writing daily in the A to Z Challenge! Tuesday is J and I'm talking about Jalapeno Peppers in your garden and a great recipe, too!

Hyssop

If you're like us and your trying to get the most out of the space you have for gardening, you'll probably looking for plants that are good for companion planting and if they do double duty then that's all that much better.

Image from Amazon.com

Hyssop falls into that category. It's a member of the mint family and loves sun as well as being an evergreen. All great attributes in my book, Historically it was used as a cleansing herb in temples and other sacred places as well repelling insects. It's also been a favorite in European gardens for it's beauty.


He has been used medically from Roman times, as a protection from the plague to modern times as an aid to the immune system. Used in a warm tea it acts as a herbal expectorant and to break up congestion in the sinuses. It is a diaphoretic, which means it promotes perspiration, so it also used for reducing fever and eliminating toxins. It is also classified as a nervine, which means it can be used to calm anxiety naturally. This leads to it's uses for children's digestive and respiratory issues.

All parts of the plant are used for herbal remedies; a brew of the flowers can speed the healing of burns and skins inflammations, Fresh bruised leaves promote healing of bruises, and insect bites. As a tea or bath additive it has been shown to help kill head lice, which is a much better alternative to some of the extreme products for sale today.

Adding Hyssop to your garden as a companion plant to cabbage and others in the Brassica family because it attracts those little white butterflies, we call them cabbage moths..lol, that love to lay eggs on your cabbage, which then turn into worms that eat your cabbages and broccoli. The Hyssop attracts them with a camphor like scent so they spare your Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts and other Brassicas. The aromatic blooms can be various colors from blue to rose to white and are a favorite of bees, which are attracted to your garden and help with the pollination. So think about planting them not only in your garden but also around grapevines and fruit trees to increase the chance of pollinators visiting your vines and tress which will lead to larger harvests.

Check out Baker seed company or other sites  for your seeds. There is still time to get them started this year if your in the south and if the climate is still cool where you are they are easy to start indoors. The plants do best kept a bit dry and will reseed easily.

Thanks for wandering through the garden and the woods with us. I is next on the list and I'll be using it to talk about Indigo, which can be used as a natural dye. This is a post in the A to Z Challenge, where we use the alphabet as inspiration for blogging, 1900 people signed up to the challenge so there is something for everyone!

I'm talking about Garlic Again..

 

So today's letter is G and since I have a real love for Garlic, I thought I would give you some reasons to love Garlic too.

During last years A to Z I used Garlic for my G then too, check out that link for details about kinds of garlic and where to plant then check out my fall post on harvesting Garlic. Lots of great information in those two posts, but now I'll give you some information on how Garlic can be beneficial for your health!

Garlic is in the Allium family which also includes onions and leeks, it contains Allicin which creates the distinctive smell. This is a sulfur compound that is released when the cloves are crushed or chewed. It is very rich is vitamins B, C , selenium and Manganese for very little calories and carbs.

Health benefits attributed to eating garlic include lower cases of colds, lower blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels. It is also been proven to be anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, by applying the juice of a crushed clove to an area that is infected, then wash with room temperature water. This is an easy home made ring worm or athletes foot remedy.

When preparing garlic is best to go ahead and crush or chop the cloves and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes. By breaking down the cell walls it allows a chemical transaction to take place. If they aren't crushed or are heated immediately you still get the great flavor but not the antioxidants and cancer fighting properties.

Garlic is easy to grow, doesn't take up lots of room and it's easy to harvest. What's not to love about it.

If your looking for a way to extend your garlic harvest, lacto fermenting is the way to go by adding probiotics to all of the other positive attributes garlic has.

Here's an easy recipe for fermenting:
We generally use a small jar like a 1/2 pint or pint, it takes a lot of cloves to fill a jar.

• Peel your cloves and add them to the jar up to an inch and a half from the top
• Create a Brine by by adding a 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt to a cup of water
• Pour the Brine into the jar up 1 inch from the top
• Either use a weight to hold down the cloves and cover with a cloth  or use a regular canning lid but this will need to be removed every other day to release the built up gas
• Leave the jar on the counter covered with a towel to keep the light out for a week.
• Then move the jar to the fridge for another couple of weeks, this will help the flavor.

Your fermented garlic can be used in any recipe that calls for raw garlic, heating the garlic will kill any probiotics produced by the fermenting.

Fall is the best time to plant your garlic so if you are in the US mark your calendar to remind you to plant or if you're just now heading into cooler weather it's time to get those cloves into the ground.

Thanks for stopping by, be sure to check out the other blogs working with the A to Z Challenge .

I'll see you in the garden!

Foraging for Fiddleheads

I'm dragging you back to the woods and river banks for today's post. Today we are talking about FiddleHead Ferns and that's really lucky because they are a spring time gourmet wild Vegetable!
I've been checking around our area and I think I may have just missed them for this year. The weather has been very strange, way too hot for April and tonight it's dropping back down to freezing temps, so I'm still on the hunt.

This is what your looking for  :

Fiddleheads, yeah it's a strange name but once you see them you totally get where it's coming from. The tightly coiled shape resemble the scroll of a violin or fiddle if you rather. 

They are the emerging sprouts of wild ferns, most often on the east coast our variety of choice is Ostrich Ferns. They have a taste that could be compared to asparagus. Generally they are seen from April to June, depending on the weather. They can sometimes be found at farmers markets or specialty stores, but for a heavy price. Foraging for your own with friends or family is rewarding as well as much better on the budget. 

Be sure to pick them when they are tightly curled, with brown paper like pieces still attached. Once they have opened the taste is significantly different, be sure to get them early. They are high in fiber like most vegetables, vitamins A and C  and some iron. They should never be eaten raw, and cooking often takes a couple of steps just to make sure that any bacteria has been killed. They will need to be eaten quickly after harvesting, they don't have much of a shelf life but they can be frozen.

So the first step to cooking them is either boil or steam for 10 minutes, then sauteed in olive oil with other greens, they also pair well with eggs.

Species of ferns can be difficult to differentiate between so it's best to have a good field guide to make sure that you are getting the right fern. The Forager's Harvest has a great blog post giving a good description of safe varieties of fiddleheads.

Thanks for stopping by on your A to Z Challenge Trip. Tomorrow I'll be back to a garden variety plant.

See you in the Garden!!

Echinacea for the E!

We are back to Herbs today and this is probably one you have heard of. Again I'm going for the double duty plants. This one works as well in your flower bed as well as your garden. Echinacea is even a Biennial which means it regrows for a second year and is a favorite of butterflies, bees, cottage gardeners and medicinal gardeners.

Echinacea or Coneflowers are started from seed and if you are in Northern Climates it's the time to get them started. They can be started in doors or outdoors while it's still cool. They need at least 4 weeks of cool wet weather to help them germinate. Fall planting is best but it they are planted later in the spring, they might not flower the first year.

They do well in full to moderate sun and are often paired with other butterfly attracting plants such as Bee Balms, Phlox and Yarrows. They are drought tolerant,and can be grown in large deep pots, due to their long tap roots. Size and colors vary by variety, they range from purple to yellow and from 1 to 3 feet tall. Their blooms last most of the summer and then in Fall the seed heads add interest to your garden.

Image from sunset.com

Butterflies and Bees swarm the flowers and birds enjoy the fall seed heads but Echinacea has many uses for people too! Native Americans recognized these plants as a treatment for wounds, but over the years it seemed to fall off the radar for most Americans. But in the 90's it saw a big come back.

Using Cranberry juice for a bladder infection, have a slow healing wound, or hay fever problems, Echinacea is a good alternative for treating these problems. The leaves can be brewed for tea, made into creams or steeped to make tinctures. We as a society are quick to run towards antibiotics for quick relief but every year we hear about the new super bacteria. Maybe we should go back to more natural remedies, being created in a lab to fight one type of bacteria can't compete with something is that is naturally complex.

Interested in making a tincture but the information wasn't passed down from your grandmother and you'd rather have the real thing, rather than buying it from Walmart?
Here's some quick information on making one with Echinacea.

• You'll need to harvest the flowerheads when they are first starting to flower,
• Put these fresh clippings in a bowl in the ratio of 1 part plant to 2 parts high proof alcohol.
• Blend well with a immersion blender
• Place the mixture a jar or bottle than can be strained easily, in a sunny place for two weeks.
• After the two weeks strain out the plant material and store the sealed jar or bottle in a cool dark place.

As most herbalists and their sites say be sure of what you are using and make sure to check with a doctor before trying anything new. As with any kind of medical treatment there could be unknown reactions. 

I hope you are enjoying our trek into the world of plants, and I hope you'll stop back by to see what else might be on the list for the A to Z Challenge!

See you in the Garden!!

D is for Dead Stinging Nettle

First things first, I'm asking you to take a step out side of the grocery store and check out your yard or your neighbors yard for this early spring green. Yes, it's what we would consider a weed, but it is edible. 

Second, it's name is a bit of a misnomer, it's not a nettle but from the mint family. It's a beautiful green and purple, not dead as the name implies. The dead refers to the fact that it doesn't actually sting. It is often confused with henbit, which is edible too, but the leaves are a bit different. And as the name implies Chickens are big fans of both.

If you are going to be adventurous, it has a very short lifespan, so be on the look out for it in your area in early spring. It grows best when days or warm but nights are still cool. It is one of the earliest blooming plants and even if you don't harvest it for yourself, don't pull it up. The bees and hummingbirds are very happy to visit it.

 It can be a bit invasive but the short lifespan keeps it from being a problem.

If you do decide to try it, think smoothies, it's is full of antioxidants and the flowers are on the sweet side. The leaves have a bit of a texture that can be hard to get over but if blended you'll never know. They can me mixed into salads also but I personally would go the smoothie route or perhaps as a tea.

It originated in Europe but as most weeds are they travel with people and grow in any area that is receptive. Purple Dead nettle means "the devouring purple monster" Did I mention it could be invasive...

It has many multiple medicinal uses as a tinsane, it has been used a diuretic, astringent and purgative. Fresh leaves are helpful for external wounds, too.

So far this month we've talked about greens from the garden and greens from your yard, we'll be exploring other new ideas for your garden and kitchen, so be sure to check back tomorrow for E and to see if I can keep up the next few weeks for the rest of the alphabet!

If you liked the idea of blogging the Alphabet make sure you check out the other blogs on the A to Z Blogging Challenge.