Mother Earth's Garden

We’re giving away 6 cans of Thompson’s Water Seal Clear Multi-Surface Aerosol Waterproofer®, to one lucky Mother Earth’s Garden reader, courtesy of the folks at Thompson’s Water Seal®. That’s the same Thompson’s Water Seal® that you put on your deck, but in a 12 ounce aerosol can!
The aerosol is great for:

Spraying on terra cotta pots before you use them. It helps them last longer (unless you drop them).
Help clay chimneys hold up against nature.
Seal birdhouses against the elements.
It will repel water on wood, brick and concrete.
It’s safe for plants so you can coat window boxes to protect …read more

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It’s watermelon season, and the National Watermelon Promotion Board has some wonderful watermelon recipes to share. One of the most interesting is this recipe for a watermelon Rubiks® Cube.
Watermelon Rubiks® Cube
25 equal size cubes each of watermelon, white jack cheese, yellow cheddar,
smoked turkey and summer sausage
1 cup ranch dressing
Build a Rubik’s®-style cube by methodically alternating cubes, making a 5 cube x 5 cube layer on the bottom.  Build four more layers on top forming a tight cube.  Serve with the ranch dressing.  Serve with picks.  Serves 4 to 6.
Watermelon recipe and image courtesy of NWPB
Technorati Tags: garden recipes,watermelon …read more

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Edamame “hummus” by Ellie Krieger

 
From my favorite FoodNetwork show, Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger, comes this tantalizing recipe for hummus. I love edamame, so I can’t wait to try this one!
Edamame “Hummus”
2 cups shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
1 cup silken tofu, briefly drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, plus more, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, plus more, for garnish
Set 1 tablespoon of edamame aside for a garnish. Place the rest of the edamame, tofu, salt, garlic, …read more

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Just when the summer garden is settling into that somewhat scorched, leggy, middle-of-summer phase, out pops one of my favorite garden additions: tall, elegant, fragrant Casa Blanca lilies.
These Asiatic lilies are virtually effortless to grow. Plant the bulbs in spring or fall and they will return just as vibrant every year. As lovely and graceful as they are, it’s the fragrance that makes this flower a must. The sweet, subtle aroma will fill your entire yard.
Casa Blanca lilies grow to about four feet tall, but stand up without staking. They are hardy in zones 5-9 and prefer full or partial …read more

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Here’s a wonderful summer recipe for you courtesy of Cyndi at Busy Family Meals.

These are best if you can make them with fresh raspberries, bursting with summer flavor, but frozen berries can be used if necessary! You can have these mixed, baked, and ready to eat in thirty minutes easily.
They are hearty enough to enjoy with dinner, sweet enough to have for dessert…your choice!
This recipe makes 12 delicious muffins.
Raspberry Corn Muffins
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 t vanilla
4 T melted butter or canola oil
1-1/2 c flour
3/4 c cornmeal
3/4 c sugar (less if …read more

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It’s that time of the year when we’re harvesting some wonderful food from our garden, so I have a couple weekend food links for you to browse. Enjoy!
Slow down and try a delicious specialty drink from Venice!
Veggie Tostadas- A great way to use the bounty from late summer gardens.
As you become accustomed to cooking in the Mediterranean (or Sonoma) way, you may find yourself creating your own recipes, as Jean has. Try Jean’s original Mediterranean-style recipe for tuna with tamarind sauce. It’s both delicious and healthy.
Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade is a refreshing beverage for summer holiday events.
Avocado dip is a cool …read more

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Take a break from the garden, have a few friends over, show off those beautiful flowers, kick back, relax, and enjoy yourself.
Lifestyles is having a picnic, and you’re invited. We have everything you need to plan your next summer picnic, barbecue, or backyard celebration.
Please join us as we take a stroll around the channel, you’ll find recipes, tips and a few laughs thrown in for free. Have fun!
Take advantage of those last few berries in your garden by making some Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch
Or grab some in season watermelon, and raspberries, and pour yourself a tall glass of …read more

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My favorite garden is actually not really a garden at all. It’s a small patch on the hillside above my house. I planted several varieties of plants and flowers there several years ago, then I’ve just sat back and watched it grow.

Sure I’ve done a little weeding. But I selected the plants for my hillside garden by looking for hardy plants that would come back year after year without any extra help from me. I also tried to find varieties that would expand and fill in, without taking over the entire garden.

It was a bit …read more

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  Japanese beetles are a huge problem in almost any garden East of the Mississippi these days, so I thought I’d round up a couple control methods. Then I’m going to turn it over to you. What methods help you control your Japanese beetle populations? I’m definitely not a pro on the subject, and I’d love to hear what others have to say about these horrible pests.
A hoard of Japanese beetles can move in and destroy plants in a matter of hours, and leave behind leaf skeletons where healthy plants were.
Japanese beetles are almost impossible to get rid …read more

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I’m finally getting a few ripe cherry tomatoes in my garden. They’re an heirloom yellow variety but they’re delicious. There’s nothing better than a ripe tomato fresh from the garden. You can taste the sunshine in every bite.
Most of my tomatoes are still green, but they’re getting there. I should have several more varieties ripe by the end of the week.
Sorry I only got a photo of a few of the cherry tomatoes, the rest were eaten before I could get the camera out.
These little tomatoes are wonderful on salads, and for a mid afternoon snack, …read more

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