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Tuesday, July 30, 2019

July 30, 2019 it's C week


After some thunderstorms and rain yesterday the heat and humidity are starting to subside. It’s 10 degrees cooler today than yesterday.  It’s hard to believe that July is almost over, until you notice the maturity of the gardens. While things are still a little behind last year it’s obvious that many things are starting to reach or exceed their peak.

Most of the lilies are gone but the sweet scent of Casa Blanca oriental lilies are wafting over the garden. Some daylilies are still blooming. Tiger lilies are also still blooming.  The rocket ligularia is in bloom and buddleia, hydrangeas, rudbeckia’s of various types, coreopsis, shasta daisy, beebalm, Maltese cross, and coneflowers.  The cannas are beginning to bloom, and the rain lilies. Some dahlias are blooming but many of my dahlias are behind last year’s first bloom time. And finally, some Four O’Clocks are getting ready to bloom.

My tropical hibiscus ‘The Path’ bloomed this week.  I highly recommend this hibiscus.  It doesn’t bloom as much as some, but the blooms are large and beautiful when it does bloom.  And it stays short and compact as a plant so it’s easy to overwinter inside.

We are getting some nice tomatoes and soon I will try digging some new potatoes.  The expensive corn has small ears and hopefully I will soon be tasting it.  My special “girls” are actually starting to bud.  That’s another harvest I am very interested in.

If you haven’t done it already it’s time to renovate the strawberry patch. Thin your plants, transplant daughter plants to other places so the rows aren’t too crowded.  Mow all June bearers down to about an inch of crown. Weed and water.

It’s also time to divide German, (bearded), iris if you need to.  For my article on how to do this go here; http://gardeninggrannysgardenpages.blogspot.com/p/bearded-iris.html

I am finally seeing monarchs.  They have been visiting the milkweed on the property, including the plants I leave by the back door.  I am also seeing Comma or Hop Merchant butterflies.   These are small butterflies that look like a dead leaf when their wings are folded, with a silver comma on them.  The upper side is dusky orange with black spots. They like milkweed too, for the flowers.  They lay their eggs on hops and nettles.

Better butterflies than the plague of locusts (grasshoppers) Las Vegas is seeing.  The hordes of grasshoppers flying at night are large enough to show up on radar. Lots of pictures are online showing grasshoppers swarming under streetlights and all over buildings and walks.  There aren’t many crops near Vegas to be consumed but I would hate to a gardener in that area right now.
 
Hibiscus 'The Path'

Chile (Chili) pepper may increase dementia chances

If you love your food spicy you may want to read a new study by the University of South Australia that found a correlation in the amount of chili pepper consumed and the incidence of dementia.  They found that the more capsaicin, the chemical that causes peppers to taste “hot”, a person consumed the more likely they were to get dementia.

The study found that people of normal or below normal weight who consumed 50 grams (about a ¼ cup) a day of chile peppers in any form, raw or processed, were twice as likely to have memory and thinking problems as they aged compared to those that did not. The incidence was less for overweight people. The study suggests that middle aged and older adults should limit consumption of spicy foods.

This study only examined chile peppers and did not consider capsaicin found in other types of peppers.  Since the chemical is identical however, it’s likely all forms of peppers would contribute to cognitive problems.  Chile peppers are consumed all over the world and some cultures eat spicy chile products at least once a day.  Hot sauce, chili sauce, tabasco sauce, curry powder, and numerous ethnic sauces contain chiles. Dried or fresh chiles are part of many Asian, Latin American and Indian dishes. Americans and Europeans have greatly increased their consumption of chiles in the last few decades.  

Because capsaicin is used to dull or deaden nerve pain in conditions like arthritis and sprains, its very possible it may negatively affect the nerves in the brain, causing them to work less efficiently.  While less nerve activity is beneficial in controlling pain, it’s not helpful for brain function.

The study was conducted over 15 years and was done on Chinese adults.  It’s the first study done to measure cognitive decline correlated with chile consumption and needs to be replicated.  It should also be remembered that studies have found that capsaicin has been found to lower blood pressure, high blood pressure also contributes to dementia. Chile peppers have also been found to lower blood sugar levels, another factor in dementia. There may be some advantages that counter the disadvantages of chile consumption.

Here’s a link to the study

Cilantro and coriander- a herbal powerhouse

A new study by theUniversity of California – Irvine found that an ingredient in cilantro, dodecenal, may be helpful in preventing some types of epileptic seizures. Cilantro or coriander has been used in herbal medicine for a long time for various things. It is considered to have anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects, anti-fungal and antibacterial uses, to be cardioprotective, a gastric health enhancer and is said to have analgesic effects.   One study several years ago found that cilantro plants could be wadded up and used to filter contaminated water.  All of that and the herb has culinary uses too.

Many people don’t realize that coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, Coriandrum sativum.   You either like the taste of cilantro and coriander or you don’t. (I don’t.) The two parts of the plant have different flavors which seem to be preferred by different cultures.  Cilantro is the name for the herb or leaves used in a wide variety of dishes and coriander is the name for the spice or seeds of the same plant. 

In North and South America, the leaves are most often used, in northern Europe the seeds are most often used, and in southeast Asia, Africa and India both parts of the plant are frequently used.  Coriander seed is mentioned in the bible and was used by the Greeks and Romans as a medicinal spice.

Cilantro leaves look much like parsley leaves, the leaves are broader near the base but fine and ferny near the top.  Cilantro is an annual plant, which will give you both leaves and seeds in a single year.  The flowers are small and white and look like carrot flowers. The seeds are small, hard and yellowish brown with a ridge down one side. 

Growing cilantro and coriander

You can buy cilantro plants to put out in the garden or you can sow the seeds in early spring where the plants are to grow. ‘Delfino’ has very fine fern like leaves.  ‘Santo’ is a classic Mexican variety for salsa making.

Cilantro germinates best in cool weather.  Each cilantro “seed” that you plant is actually 2 or more seeds.  It forms a clump and clumps should be thinned to about 10 inches apart. You can harvest the leaves as soon as the plants are big enough so that you never need to remove more than 1/3 at a time. 

When the weather turns hot, cilantro tends to go to seed.  You can prevent this for a while by keeping any shoots that appear to be developing flowers cut off.  Of course, if you want to harvest coriander seeds you must let the plants flower and wait until the seeds dry to harvest them.  Cilantro is one of the plants that will frequently come up every year once you bring it into the garden by re-seeding itself.  In areas with mild winters cilantro can also be sown as a fall crop.

Cilantro needs full sun and well-drained soil to do its best. It seldom needs fertilization and has few pests.  Coriander seed should be harvested when it is dry, store the seeds whole in a dry, cool place.

Culinary use of cilantro and coriander

In Latin American, the chopped, fresh leaves are used in many dishes, including salsa and guacamole.  In Thai and Vietnamese cooking the leaves are often added to salads and finely chopped cilantro leaves are used as food garnishes.  They are also added to stir fried and sauteed vegetables. Cilantro leaves are best used fresh, drying destroys much of the flavor and freezing chopped leaves is only a satisfactory option.  

While the leaves are tasty, it is the coriander seeds with all of their aromatic oils that are said to have the most medicinal benefits and are a valued spice.  Coriander seeds are an important part of curry powder and in European countries, coriander seed is used to flavor breads and pastries.  Coriander seed is also used to flavor a milkshake like drink.  Store well dried coriander seed in clean glass containers and grind it just before use with a pepper grinder.  Whole seeds are often sprinkled on baked goods.  Ground coriander seed is used in spicy dishes and in pastry and bread. 

More reading

Coreopsis

'Sunfire'
Some gardeners reject coreopsis in the garden as too common but for long lasting color in the garden there are few perennial plants easier to grow than coreopsis.  As a native species they can fill that niche with gardeners as well as being pretty. The common name of Tickseed refers to the tiny seeds the flowers produce, which resemble ticks. They are seen often in gardens because there are few plants that can match their usefulness.

Coreopsis loves sunny, hot conditions and will bloom its heart out through the middle of the hottest summers. The bright gold colors that native species of coreopsis feature have been altered by plant breeders into several muted and pastel shades that make coreopsis fit into any garden color scheme. Coreopsis are excellent bed and border plants. They attract butterflies and birds to the garden and make an excellent cut flower.

There are several native species of coreopsis and many hybrids of the species. All coreopsis are members of the daisy family and the flowers have the familiar daisy look. Some coreopsis flowers are single, and some are double, ranging from 1-2 inches wide. Most coreopsis colors are shades of yellow, although there are pink shades and at least one white coreopsis available. Some varieties have a contrasting color in the center. Birds love the seeds, but if allowed to go to seed coreopsis may spread through the garden.

Coreopsis grandiflora and Coreopsis lanceolata have long, lance shaped leaves and Coreopsis verticillata has fine fern-like leaves. Coreopsis plants range from about 10 inches to 6 feet high, although most varieties are between 18 and 24 inches high. Most varieties of coreopsis are perennials that are hardy from zones 3-9. C. grandiflora and some of the hybrids using this species are only reliably hardy to zone 7 and behave like biennials instead of true perennials.

Growing Coreopsis

You can start coreopsis from seed or buy plants. If started early from seed or the fall before, coreopsis may bloom the first summer. Coreopsis plants are available in most nurseries for those gardeners who don’t care to grow their own.  Most cultivars are inexpensive, and you will get a good show the first year you set out plants.

If you want to start from seed, there are many varieties of coreopsis seed available to gardeners. Start the seeds indoors about 8 -10 weeks before your last frost in a cool, (60 degrees), and bright place. Coreopsis seed needs light to germinate so just press it lightly down on the seed-starting medium. The seed may germinate in as little as 5 days. Coreopsis seeds can also be sown outside where you want the plants to grow in the fall or spring. Plants grown indoors can be hardened off and set outside while the ground is still cool and will withstand light frost.

Coreopsis needs full sun. They are not fussy about soil and will grow well where the soil is relatively poor. Although coreopsis is drought tolerant when established, new plants should be watered frequently. Don’t over fertilize coreopsis or you will get lots of foliage and few blooms. If your soil is sandy or very poor an application of slow release fertilizer in early spring is all that’s needed. Healthy coreopsis plants are seldom bothered by insects and have few disease problems.

Some coreopsis varieties get lanky and floppy as the season progresses and benefit from being sheared back to about half their size in mid-summer. This will encourage stronger stems and a flush of new blooms. While deadheading is a chore with the small flowers of coreopsis, it will help them continue blooming through the summer and make the plants look nicer. Some new varieties are self-cleaning; the dead flowers just drop off. If you do deadhead the plants plan to leave some of the seed heads alone near the end of the season for the birds to eat



Some coreopsis varieties

There are many varieties of coreopsis on the market. Check the zone hardiness, as some varieties are only hardy to zone 7. Varieties that have C. grandiflora in their background may last only a season or two in the garden and tend to be less hardy, but most varieties of coreopsis are reliable perennials. ‘Sterntaler’ is a hardy variety with golden flowers, marked with a reddish center band. ‘Moonbeam’ is a fern leaved, hardy coreopsis of pale, soft yellow.

‘Zagreb’ is another fern leaved coreopsis; it has bright golden flowers on a compact plant. ‘American Dream’ is a rosy pink; fern leaved coreopsis with a yellow center. ‘Alba’ is a fern leaved coreopsis with white flowers and a yellow eye. Although one red flowered coreopsis produced a few years ago proved to be a one season dud instead of perennial, a new rosy red coreopsis with a darker center, ‘Heaven’s Gate’, is winter hardy to at least zone 5 and reliably perennial in zones 5-8.

Coreopsis ‘Rising Sun’ has golden yellow semi-double flowers flecked with red. ‘Sunfire’ has large golden flowers with frilly edges and a red center. ‘Early Sunrise’ has golden yellow double flowers. ‘Presto’ is a very early, golden, double flowered coreopsis only 10 inches high. ‘Jethro Tull’ is a golden coreopsis with fluted or trumpet shaped petals. Coreopsis tripteris is a native coreopsis with bamboo-like stalks up to 6 feet high and 2 inch butter yellow flowers.

There’s a coreopsis for every sunny garden and there’s a good reason most gardens have some.  Does yours?

Creamed cucumbers

This time of the year you may have more cucumbers than you know what to do with. And if you don’t grow them cukes are now very inexpensive at the farmers markets.  The recipe below can help you use some of those cucumbers.  It works well with those cucumbers that hid from you until they got a bit yellow too.

Ingredients

6 medium cucumbers
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
½ of finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups of whole milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill leaves
Pepper to taste

Directions

Wash cukes, cut in half lengthwise, remove seeds and then cut into 1-inch pieces.  Place them in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt, then use a spoon to toss them so the salt evenly coats them.  Let stand for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes drain the fluid off the cucumbers- it comes from the cukes- and pat them dry with a paper towel, set aside.

In a frying pan melt the butter and add the onion.  Cook until the onion is golden and softened.

Add the flour, cooking and stirring constantly until the flour turns golden.  Do not let the mixture scorch.

Pour in the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the cukes, turn the heat down to a simmer.  Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The mixture should thicken a little more.

Remove from heat, add the sour cream, dill and pepper to suit your taste.  Serve warm.



A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.- Gertrude Jekyll

Kim Willis

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