Hi Gardeners
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| Evening primrose and buddleia |
When we woke up this morning it was downright chilly, temps went down
into the 40’s last night. But never
fear, this is Michigan and we are promised that temps will be quite warm this
weekend, possibly 100 degrees. And humid.
Ugh, ugh and more ugh. I am hurrying
to get some tasks done before that comes.
The poor plants don’t know what to do.
Even with cooler weather the garden has taken a growth spurt. And I am thrilled to report that the Jasmine stephanese, pink jasmine, has
produced a few blooms for me. Remember I wrote about the problems of
transplanting it to a bigger pot just a few weeks ago. This is it’s third
summer here and finally results. Just a
few flowers, but still!
My Asiatic lilies are just beginning to bloom. I may have had daylilies in bloom, but the deer
went by one bed and ate all the buds off.
The ditch lilies have begun to bloom, and I did have an early daylily in
bloom, but the main daylily crop is yet to come- if any are spared.
My tomato plants are huge, and I’ll be harvesting peppers
soon. The saskatoons are ripe. Pumpkins
are blooming. The catalpa tree is
blooming.
I talked about making a little water feature in my expanded front bed. I went through all the work of painting an
old wash tub, well my husband did, to use.
We tested it first for leaks. But
after adding gravel and plants and the little solar fountain I discovered it had
a slow leak. Then the slow leak became a
bigger leak. What a hassle removing that, I had to take all the gravel out and
lift it over the petunias and other things I planted around it.
I replaced it with an old rubber horse dish sitting on top of
another horse dish turned upside down. I don’t think it looks too bad. It will
look better when the plants grow up around it. When I found the horse dish it was behind the
barn filled with rain water. Last night
I fixed up the new water feature. Got up
this morning and most of the water was gone.
I refilled it and so far today, it’s kept the water. I think maybe something drank most of the water
last night. It’s shallower than the first tub and a bit smaller in diameter and
I added gravel to it. The dogs were carrying on this morning about something. Maybe a loose horse or a big dog or once
again deer. I’m hoping. We’ll see. But this illustrates the fun of gardening.
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| My revised water feature. Imagine it when the plants have filled in. |
The plastic problem
Do you recycle? Where do you think all those carefully sorted
plastics and papers go? Up until this
year about half of our recycled materials went to China, where they were turned
into plastic beads and unbleached paper that was then manufactured into new
products. Old appliances and electronics
are mined for metals that can be re-used. There is a whole industry that
employs thousands in China to recycle our trash as well as that of Europe and
many other countries.
But this year that changed.
The people in China have become more interested in protecting their
environment and a lot of the trash they took in was contaminated with toxic chemicals
and even radiation. They demanded that their country stop being the worlds
dump. As more people in China obtain a
higher standard of living they produce enough trash of their own to recycle for
their various manufacturing needs.
In March the first set of restrictions on what China would accept
for recycling went into effect and next year and the following year more
restrictions will go into place. They
are also demanding that what they do accept be cleaner and well sorted. Already
American recycling centers are piling up plastics and papers with no place to
send it. Much of it will have to go to
landfills, the landfills we were trying to keep it out of. Already many municipalities have stopped
their recycling programs and tell residents just put what used to be recyclables
in the trash.
Plastics are the biggest threat to the environment, paper does decompose,
and metals still are more likely to be accepted for recycling. While plastics
have become extremely useful we all have to think about how we use them.
Conventional plastics don’t break down for at least 200 years, and even then,
they just become small particles that remain in the soil and water. There is a
huge amount of plastic in the ocean that is seriously impacting wildlife. We
all must use less plastic.
Plastics are made from fossil fuels and they can be burnt and
turned into electricity. We are still
studying what toxins this might leak into the air and at the present we don’t
have the capacity to turn much of our waste into electricity.
We are also trying to put recycled plastics into building
materials and road surfacing applications, but it isn’t being widely done
yet. I once saw an article about a man
who was building road sections from recycled materials that snapped together
and were said to last a very long time. If we can get this going it would be
great.
And we are exploring ways to make biodegradable plastics from
cornstarch, agave, and a few other things.
But we are still at the experimental stages for these innovations and in
the meantime a lot of conventional plastic is going to be used and disposed of.
Things a gardener can do to use less
plastic
Horticulture/gardening uses a lot of plastic. All those plastic flats, pots, and trays are
part of it. But think of all those
plastic bags holding mulch, topsoil, gravel, sand, and fertilizers. There are plastic handles on tools, plastic
watering cans and spray bottles, all kinds of plastic garden décor, plastic
fences, edging, hoses and irrigation supplies.
What can gardeners do to use less plastic in the garden?
First plants could be sold in biodegradable pots and cell
packs. We have the knowledge to make
them from peat, coir, hemp and other materials.
There is some trade off in weight, expense and the containers holding up
to retail sales conditions. But if you have
a choice choose plants in biodegradable containers and urge sellers to use
them.
If you buy plants in plastic pots and baskets reuse them. I save
and re-use my plastic pots, you’d be surprised how often I have uses for them. You can turn black plastic pots into something
prettier with paint or fabric covers. If
you can’t use them maybe another gardener can, or maybe the place you bought
the plants from would accept the empties back for re-use. Small greenhouses and nurseries often welcome
the return of empty pots and flats because it saves them money. We should consider putting deposits on
plastic pots and trays so that they must be returned to where they were
purchased.
Consider buying supplies like mulch and soil in bulk, without the
plastic bags. Choose tools with wood
handles, metal watering cans and hose accessories, cement and wood garden art,
wood trellis, and wood fences.
On the other hand, benches, picnic tables, and deck materials that
are made from recycled plastics will divert some of that plastic from the
landfill. Choose them or wood and metal items rather than the cheaper
disposable plastic items.
Use bird feeders of glass and wood or metal. Buy cement or pottery bird baths. Glass gazing balls instead of plastic. Buy the items you need for the garden that
have less plastic packaging. Buy plant
food in cardboard boxes. When you buy
decorative pots choose clay or pottery over plastic and foam (also a waste
problem). Bring your cloth and net
re-useable bags with you when you shop for garden supplies.
Things you can do in other areas of your life are to stop using
plastic straws, plastic tableware, cups and plates. Choose food and other items
with the least amount of plastic packaging.
Stop using plastic wrap to cover food, and plastic baggies to store
things. Use plastic items for food storage that can be re-used multiple
times.
It’s difficult to think of trash cans without plastic liners/bags
in them but 50 years ago we used them.
(I don’t know if I can do this.)
We also drank from glass pop bottles and cardboard milk cartons. When shopping, ask for paper bags or bring
those re-usable shopping bags.
Examine your cosmetics and soaps and see if they have micro-beads
in them. Micro beads are plastics for
the most part and they are causing serious problems in our water supply, since
they are hard to filter out. Don’t use
products with micro-beads.
If everyone found some way to reduce their plastic use, we would
need less space in the landfills. Every little bit helps. Wildlife would be safer and the environment
cleaner. If we continue to use plastic like we are doing, we will soon be
buried in it.
Plant Bargain hunting
It that time of year when many places are closing up their garden
shops for the summer and real nurseries and greenhouses are featuring sales to
draw you in and move merchandise. It’s a
good time to get plant bargains but you must use a little caution and common
sense.
When I was a merchandiser for a large wholesale perennial nursery
I was called one day and told to go to a store I was servicing and remove
certain lilies. A state nursery
inspector had visited the main nursery and ordered certain lilies destroyed
because they were diseased. The nursery
wanted to remove and destroy the same lilies that had already been sold to
avoid any future problems.
As I was told to do I bagged the lilies in black plastic garbage
bags and removed them to the dumpster that was being used for garden shop waste
at the back of the store. The lilies
were blooming and still looked pretty nice.
A few customers watched me do this.
One approached me and asked to buy the lilies. We were instructed to always be cautious when
we discussed why we were removing plants, so that rumors didn’t get started or
the retailer harmed by people thinking there was something wrong with all the
plants. I simply told her that my
company had asked me to take the plants off sale because they were not healthy,
and we could not sell or give away the plants
That didn’t sit well with the customer. She talked to a store manager who referred
her back to me, since they were still my companies merchandise. She called me
cruel (to plants? or to her?) as well as a few other names. My car was parked in back of the store and
when I went to it a short time later there was this lady climbing on the
dumpster and removing the bags of lilies.
I called store security and they made her leave.
Had the lilies been treatable the nursery wouldn’t have destroyed
their stock back at the nursery. I don’t remember what disease the lilies were
believed to have, a viral disease of some kind.
It was the right thing to remove and destroy them before the disease
spread. I am telling you this because I
have read similar stories on line where people are outraged when they see
plants being disposed of and they aren’t allowed to “rescue” them.
While it’s fine to ask stores for a reduction in price for plants
that are still on sale but don’t look well, don’t go dumpster diving. Usually
plants that just haven’t been cared for well or have finished blooming and
aren’t attractive are marked down before being disposed of. But if plants that still look good are being
thrown out there’s probably a good reason. Dumpster diving is a good way to
bring home pests and diseases. They may
not only affect your garden but those of hundreds of others. And in many cases
you could be breaking the law by taking plants that have been condemned.
What to look for in bargain plants
When you go to a big box stores garden shop you’ll often see a lot
of plants in sad shape. Usually they
haven’t been watered well, either too little or too much watering. Sometimes they have just gotten spindly and
yellow because they have outgrown small cell packs or pots. If they have been marked down these plants
can be a good deal for the thrifty gardener.
But do check them over carefully.
Look for insect pests or signs of them like chewed leaves, egg masses,
and webbing. You probably don’t want to bring these plants home.
It’s often hard to tell a diseased plant from one that’s just not
been cared for well. Yellowed leaves and
leaf margins, black or brown spotting on leaves, holes in leaves, curling and
deformed looking leaves and flowers, streaked or reddened foliage, dried up
buds, pale leaves with darker green along the veins, gray dusty appearance to
foliage, mushy stems and crowns, all of these could mean disease or just
symptoms of neglect.
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| Blackspot disease on a rose. |
Not all sellers are ethical enough to dispose of plants they know
are diseased. If you are an inexperienced gardener you probably don’t have the
“plantdar” that would cause you to avoid
certain plants. So, when you buy those
marked down plants be aware that they could be diseased. You are taking a bit of a gamble. Some diseases aren’t spread easily or can be
cured but many do spread and can’t be cured.
It’s a good idea to put the clearance plants somewhere away from
the rest of your plants for a few weeks.
If they perk up after a good watering (or letting pots dry out that are
too wet) or after you have transferred them to bigger containers and new growth
and/or flowering begins you can probably assume they are safe.
One of the best bargains may be in perennials that have finished
blooming for the year but still look healthy.
These are fine to buy, checking them over carefully first. They probably
won’t bloom again this year but will bloom nicely again for you next year and
may even transplant better than those in full bloom. Remember that annual plants bloom for only
one season and then die. If these seem
to have finished blooming they can sometimes be cut back and will rebloom again
but this can take several weeks. It may not be worth the time and effort.
Also check to make sure the reduced plants are hardy in your
planting zone or that you can bring them inside to winter if they are not. Many garden stores sell tropical hibiscus,
calla lilies, brugmansia, mandevilla, bougainvillea and other tropical plants
in the summer and a clearance price may seem wonderful, until you realize it
won’t be back the following year if you leave it outside. Know your planting zone. But I have noticed that some of these plants
don’t have planting zones listed on the tag, it is assumed people know they are
tropical I guess. A little checking on
the species and whether it’s hardy for you is prudent before purchase.
Even species that do have hardy varieties for your area can have
varieties that are not hardy, but they look good when in bloom, so they are
sold in garden stores outside their hardy zone.
I see a lot of hydrangeas being sold in my area that aren’t hardy
here. Other plants with varying
hardiness include roses, lavender, rosemary, buddleia, clematis, sedums,
salvias, agastache, foxglove, and mums.
It does no good to get a good price on these if they aren’t hardy in
your area.
What not to buy even at a “steal”
Bulbs for summer blooming plants in bags or in bulk displays and
bareroot plants in those cardboard containers should not be purchased at this
time of the year. Packaged roses are
another bad buy at this time of the year.
Even if you see sprouts these plants have probably exhausted their
stored reserves and won’t do well for you.
If they are dried up and dead looking- that’s what they are.
Plants in pots that haven’t leafed out by now are likely to be
dead. If they have leafed out and the
leaves dried up they are probably dead.
Evergreens that have large areas of browned foliage or are totally brown
are dead or dying. Don’t buy these.
Annual flowers and vegetables that are long and spindly and still
in little cell packs this time of year are not are a good bargain. Vegetables that are flowering or have fruit
in these tiny cells or in little pots are not likely to perform well in the
garden, they are unlikely to overcome the stress. Sometimes annual flowers can
be cut back, and the totally overgrown root system teased apart to allow the
plants to survive but you have to be a dedicated plant rescuer to get
satisfaction and any benefit from this.
Don’t be tempted into buying plants that are a good price if you
really don’t have a place fore them. For
example, if you don’t have any full sun conditions don’t buy plants that must
have them, even if they are 2 for 1 or 70% off.
Spend your money on plants that are right for your situation. Of course, you could always cut down that tree….
Bargains can be had this time of year, especially on “shop worn”
plants and plants that are being cleared out just so the space can be used for
back to school merchandise. It’s a great
time to shop those reputable greenhouses and nurseries that take good care of
their plants. But don’t get fooled by
plants that aren’t really bargains and stay out of dumpsters.
The History and Growing of Sunflowers Helianthus Annuus
I rarely plant sunflowers since I feed a lot of their seeds to the
birds all year around and they plant them for me. But there have been years when I have
actually bought the seeds of a sunflower variety that took my fancy and planted
them. Sunflowers seem to symbolize
cheerfulness and country nostalgia. They
appear in folk art, in modern designs and just about everywhere. They are often loved by children and planted
in gardens for them and by them.
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| Bi-color sunflower |
Sunflower seeds are a crunchy nutritious snack and can provide an
oil for cooking and other uses. They attract butterflies and bees in bloom and
birds when the seeds ripen. Beautiful and useful, sunflowers should be part of
every sunny garden. The gardener has
almost endless choices now for the size, color and form of sunflowers that they
can plant. There are miniature
sunflowers for pots and small gardens.
Sunflower history
Sunflowers are native to the Americas. Sunflowers were being grown as a crop as
early as 3000 BC., probably in Central America. It is thought that they were domesticated
before corn. The Aztecs worshipped the sunflower and priestesses wore them to
show their divinity. The sunflower was called ‘acahual’. It was often
immortalized in gold replicas which were some of the items the Spanish invaders
stole and took back to Spain. The use and growing of sunflowers spread north
and west until most First People in North America that farmed were also growing
the crop.
The First People developed the plant by selective breeding to have
one large head and a lot of seeds. They produced tall sturdy stalks. They also
cultivated plants with different colored ray flowers and seeds. Contrary to the “three sisters story” they
were not always grown in conjunction with beans and squash. Only a few farming tribes actually followed
the 3 sisters idea, most farmed just as we do now, separating the various crops
for ease of care.
Sunflowers were used for food, for dye, for oil, and they also had
some medicinal uses. The oil was used on the skin and hair and a purple dye
made from sunflowers was used to color textiles and paint the body. As is typical of indigenous crops no part of
the sunflower was wasted. The stalks
were used as building material and fodder for animals.
In the early 1500’s Spanish invaders of Central America took the
seeds back with them to Spain and sunflowers began to be grown as exotic
ornamentals. Use of the sunflower as an
ornamental spread slowly through Europe. Some use of sunflowers for oil and
food was practiced.
In the early 1700’s Peter the Great of Russia was touring Holland
and became fascinated by the sunflowers growing there. He brought seeds back and encouraged Russians
to grow them. Imagine a subtropical
beauty of a plant that would even grow on the Russian steppes!
When the Russian Orthodox church forbid the consumption of oils
during Lent, sunflower oil was left off the list, probably because it still
wasn’t widely known. Russians saw the
loophole and the race was on to develop sunflowers that had good oil
properties. Sunflower oil became very
popular in Russia and throughout Europe where olives couldn’t be grown.
In 1716 a patent was granted to an English inventor for a press
that converted sunflower seeds to oil.
Eventually millions of acres were devoted to growing sunflowers and many
new varieties developed. In the late 1880’s immigrants from Russia and eastern
Europe brought sunflowers back to the Americas, where once again they became
popular with gardeners and farmers began exploring their use as a cash crop.
In the US sunflowers are currently grown as a crop mainly in North
and South Dakota with Colorado in a distant third place. In 2017 about 2.65 billion pounds of
sunflower seeds were produced in the US, which is behind the production in
Europe and Russia. That’s a shame
because sunflower oil is much better for humans than soybean oil. It contains no linolenic acid, which causes
human health problems. It has a high
smoking point for cooking and a bland flavor that doesn’t compete with food
taste.
In Eastern Europe and Russia where the oil is plentiful it’s used
in cosmetics and soap. Other uses are
being explored as a pesticide ingredient, lubricant, fabric softener, in
plastics and paint and as a biofuel.
Plant characteristics
Sunflowers come in three main categories, ornamental, edible seed,
and oilers. Gardeners could be
interested in all the types. Most ornamental and edible sunflowers are annuals,
although there are species of sunflowers used as ornamentals that are
perennial. In this article I am
discussing the annual sunflower, Helianthus
Annuus.
There are varieties of sunflowers that range from about 18 inches
high to more than 10 feet high.
Commercial sunflowers for oil are generally modest in height averaging
4-5 feet high. Ornamentals can be tall
or short. Edible seed types are often
the tallest with the largest flower heads.
Sunflowers have sturdy stalks that turn woody with age. Edible and
oil types usually have one stalk and one main head with little or no
branching. Some ornamental types have
more branches and lots of smaller flowers.
The leaves of sunflowers are oval or heart shaped, with a rough,
sticky feel, arranged opposite each other on the stalk. They can get quite large. The sunflower has a central tap root that can
grow 6 feet into the ground and a network of secondary roots that help support
the weight of heavy seed heads.
The flowers of sunflowers are deceiving. They consist of a ring of flowers along the
outside, the ray flowers or “petals”.
Petals can be yellow, red, brown, purple or white. The ray flowers do not make seeds. The center of each “flower” is actually
hundreds of small flowers all packed together.
If these are fertilized each will make a seed. These disk flowers can be yellow, brown or
red.
Sunflowers really prefer to be pollinated by another sunflower and
self -pollination results in poor seed set. They are pollinated by bees and
butterflies. Plant a few sunflowers together for best results. Be aware that some ornamental varieties are
infertile. They don’t produce pollen or
seeds.
Sunflower seeds remain on the head until they are ripe. Each is surrounded by a paper like cell with
the seed poking out. Seeds can be black,
brown, gray, red, and striped, depending on variety. The head of the sunflower will droop as seeds
mature, in an effort to prevent them from being eaten by birds.
The sunflower has an interesting habit of following the sun in its
daily travel across the sky. This is
called heliotropism. The plants orientate the budding flowers and leaves toward
the east overnight, so they can take advantage of the early morning sun. During the day the plant slowly turns to
follow the sun, ending up facing west at dark and overnight the plant once
again adjusts its orientation. When the
flowers begin to open the plant stops tracking the sun, almost always in an
East facing position. So, if you want to see the full glory of your sunflower
blooms make sure you can look at them from the east.
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| Sunflower with ripening seeds. |
Growing sunflowers
Gardeners should read the catalog descriptions of sunflowers to
make sure they get a variety that gives them what they are looking for. Most sunflowers are pretty but there are some
that are better at providing edible seeds and some are better for oil use. Most
gardeners will not be able to produce enough seeds to make producing oil
practical. If you need sunflowers for
containers or want certain colors, you’ll find them in ornamental varieties.
Sunflowers will grow just about anywhere, which is part of their
charm and usefulness. They will grow
from zone 4, maybe 3, to as hot as it gets.
Just remember that the really huge sunflowers may need a longer growing
season to flower and ripen seeds.
Sunflowers do need to be planted in full sun to produce the best
flowers and seeds. However, I can attest
that they will grow in partial shade. I
have some growing on the north side of the house every year where the birds plant
them. They just don’t get as large as
those in full sun.
Sunflowers will tolerate just about any soil type except poorly
drained wet soil. They do not produce
very well in drought conditions or desert areas though. They will need to be watered when it gets
really dry.
You can plant sunflower seeds where they are to grow after the
danger of frost has passed or start them in pots inside about 6 weeks before
your last frost and transplant them out after frost chances have passed. They shouldn’t be too large before you
transplant them because of the tap root.
Sunflowers will grow without fertilization, but a good balanced
fertilizer used at planting can make flowers larger and seeds bigger. Choose a
fertilizer for flowering plants. Do not
use Epsom salts on sunflowers.
Since sunflowers are a native plant they do have some pests and
diseases. However, gardeners will rarely
be bothered by most of them. Insect
pests include the larvae of several moths, some weevils and a sunflower
beetle. Japanese beetles can damage
them. If insects are a problem, you can
use a registered pesticide. If you are
going to eat the seeds make sure it is for food crops. Follow label directions.
Diseases that sunflowers can get include; rust, downy mildew,
verticillium wilt, sclerotinia stalk and head rot, phoma black stem and leaf
spot. Rust is the most common disease
gardeners will see. Most of these are
fungal diseases that can’t be cured, only prevented. If you have a serious problem, make sure not
to plant sunflowers in the same space the following year. Use a fungicide to prevent the diseases and
to keep them from spreading to healthy sunflowers.
Harvesting sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds should be allowed to ripen and dry on the stalk. The seeds are light when immature and darken
as they ripen. If birds are a problem slip a paper bag over each seed head and
secure it with a rubber band. Don’t use
plastic bags. When seeds are almost dry
you can cut off the whole seed head and bring it into a warm, dry spot to
finish drying.
The seeds are ripe and dry when they can be easily scraped off the
seed head. Do this over something that will catch the seeds. Lightly “banging”
seed heads on spread newspapers may work. After removal spread the seeds out on a clean
surface in a warm dry place and let them dry a few more days. You can husk the seeds (a lot of work) or
store them with the husk.
To prepare sunflower seeds for snacking they are usually roasted.
Soak seeds in the husk in salt water for a few hours then drain and spread on a
cookie sheet. (About a ½ cup salt to a quart of water.) Bake at low heat, 300 degrees, for 30-40
minutes. Stir the seeds a couple times
during roasting. You can do this with
hulled seeds also.
Store roasted or raw sunflower seeds in clean, dry containers with
tight lids. If you are growing the seeds
for the birds don’t roast them.
Sunflowers are pretty in the garden and the seeds are also great
for snacking. Plus, they are a native plant with a long colorful history. Make
sure your garden has at least a few sunflowers.
Tips for cooking in a heat wave
You maybe sweltering under a summer heat wave, but you don’t have
to resort to fast food and ice cream to eat.
A good healthy, home cooked family meal can be achieved easily without
heating up the house too much, even if it’s too hot for grilling outside.
Shame on you if you are running the air conditioner in the house
full blast and then cooking in the oven.
If you aren’t worried about your bank account, at least consider the
environmental impact you will be making with this practice. While all methods of cooking food will give
off heat there are ways to prepare a good meal without producing too much heat.
It starts with thinking about the method of cooking when you are
shopping. Choose foods that don’t need
oven cooking or long periods of stove top cooking. Use pre-cooked foods and fresh produce to
avoid as much cooking in the heat as possible.
Don’t buy roasts, buy thin steaks that cook quickly on top of the
stove. Instead of a ham you have to
bake, consider cooked deli ham.
Careful shopping and using coupons can get you the convenience and
coolness of pre-cooked foods at the same costs as food that needs to be cooked.
Meats, eggs, potatoes, pasta and rice are all available pre-cooked with only a
small amount of re-heating needed. Yes
they are more expensive and shouldn’t be used all the time but for a meal in
the midst of a heat wave their use is justified. Canned tuna, salmon and chicken are also great
meal beginnings.
Here are some meal ideas for hot days
Salads- not just lettuce and veggies, although those are good, but
how about with pre-cooked bacon and hard-boiled eggs, (available in stores) or
maybe with pre-cooked chicken, ham or tuna.
For hearty eaters it takes just a few minutes to cook some
hamburger with taco seasoning to make taco’s or taco salad. Pre-cooked chicken chunks or beef strips
could be used with taco seasoning too.
Pre- cooked pasta can be turned into a delightful tuna salad. Or use cooked pasta and canned chicken. Canned salmon and cooked salad shrimp can be
used with pasta for something different.
Sandwiches are always a good choice in hot weather. Buy some nice buns and layer deli meat and
cheeses on them. Children enjoy making
mini- subs with hot dog buns. Try a hot
ham and cheese melt by using the microwave to melt the cheese. Toast bread or
buns in your toaster, add meat and cheese and put in the microwave to melt and
heat the sandwich for those who like hot sandwiches.
Hot dogs and pre-cooked sausages can be heated quickly in the
micro-wave if it’s too hot to grill them outside. Your microwave can cook fresh potatoes for a
side dish too. Take tiny red potatoes, a
couple tablespoons of butter and some garlic powder and place in a covered
microwave safe bowl for a great side dish.
You can cut potatoes in chunks, place in a microwave safe bowl with just
a few tablespoons of water, cover the dish and microwave until tender. Use those potatoes to make potato salad or
mash them.
Here’s a great hot meal that’s quick
and doesn’t heat up the house too much.
Cook potatoes that are peeled and chunked in the microwave as described
above. While they are cooking brown some
hamburger and fresh onion in a large skillet.
Add a can of condensed beefy mushroom soup and a half soup can of water
to each pound of ground beef. Season
with pepper - the soup is salty- and cook until the ground beef is well
done. Mash your cooked potatoes and pour
beef and gravy over them. You can get
this done in 30 minutes or less. You
could also use boxed mashed potato flakes prepared as directed or the new
prepared packaged, refrigerated mashed potatoes found in grocery meat or dairy
chilled foods sections. But real fresh
potatoes taste better.
Your crock pot can let you cook whole meals without adding too
much heat to the kitchen. You can even
add the meat while it’s frozen. Cook a
cut up chicken in some barbecue sauce, a pot roast with carrots and potatoes,
pork roast, meat balls, there are many choices.
Just remember to start 4 or more hours before the meal needs to be
served. Small pieces of meat or chunked
meats will cook in 4 hours on high.
Frozen meats or large cuts take 6 or more hours.
Don’t add water to meat in a crock pot. Add seasonings near the end of cooking for
better flavor. Place meat on top of
vegetables so the vegetables get drenched in meat juice. Start frozen meats on low and cook for 1-2
hours, then raise temperatures to high.
Check meats cooking in the crock pot half way through the cooking time
and if a lot of fluid or grease has accumulated drain or ladle most of it off. The meat will have better texture. Don’t overcook meats either, they either get
dried out and tough or fall apart to tasteless mush.
A rice cooker works like a crock pot in that it plugs in and
doesn’t use the stove top. If the
directions are followed it produces perfect white or brown rice without much
heat or fuss. The rice can be combined
with any number of meats and vegetables for a good summer meal.
Here’s another good hot meal idea. Cook some rice in a rice cooker. Plan on 1 c.
of cooked rice per person for average eaters. Sauté some thin beef strips, mushrooms, green
and red peppers and onion in a lightly oiled skillet on the stove top. Toss with the rice and the seasonings of your
choice. Some people like to add a sauce made with
beef gravy, or thinned beefy mushroom soup.
This should take less than 30 minutes and won’t heat the house too much.
You can feed your family healthy food and control the fat and
seasonings instead of buying fast food, even in the worst heat. A few grocery shortcuts and some handy
appliances will make it all work well.
Grill, eat, swim, sleep
Kim Willis
And So On….
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