Sunday, January 29, 2012

Brandys Botany Bay Instructions

Thank you for your recent purchase with Brandy’s Botany Bay by rzashida as promised I have included the instructions as well as recipes for your recent purchase. I am always open to suggestions and love a challenge. If you need assistance with anything that grows please contact me , I love to help. I would love to stay in contact with you your can reach me via Twitter at http://twitter.com/brandysbotany on etsy @ http://www.etsy.com/shop/rzashida?ref=pr_shop_more and please like us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brandys-Botany-Bay/317074098307876 we are corky and informative. Please frequent my blog as well I have a great wealth of information.
Jellymelon
Here are the instructions on how to grow the jellymelons. Direct sow after all dangers of frost, You can also try peat pots or transplanting but I suggest direct sowing. You can use a trellis or a fence or allow to scatter on the grown but they spread about 10 feet and hog a lot of space so do not plant too close to others
Gourds
Gourds, directly sow in grow in an area with full sun. Keep the ground moist and provide a trellis or gate for the vines after true leaves appear the gourds will basically care for themselves.
Huckleberries
Huckleberries are very easy to grow, simply put them in a peat pot keep moist and transplant when @ least 6 leave have developed. (After frost) As promised here is your recipe.



Huckleberry Sauce DO NOT EAT GREEN HUCKLEBERRIES.

Garden Huckleberry Pie

4 C. garden huckleberries 1-1/2 C. sugar 1/4 t. nutmeg 1/4 t. salt 1 T. butter Juice of one lemon 2 T. cornstarch Pastry for 9-inch double crust pie

Stem, wash and drain huckleberries. Place berries in a heavy pot, cover with cold water and bring to a slow boil. Cook until soft. Drain; mash berries with a potato masher to break their skins.

Add sugar, nutmeg, salt, butter, lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook for about five minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.

Place pastry for bottom crust in pie pan. Pour in the berry mixture and dot with butter. Cover with top crust, crimping crust edges to seal. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the crust is a light brown. Cool. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if you plant a few at a time every month throughout the summer you will have a constant supply. They usually die with the hard freeze of winter which in Georgia is in either November or December.
Morning Glories
Morning Glory plants like full sun. The seed coat is thick. Nick Morning Glory seeds, or soak it in warm water for a couple of hours to soften it, and increase germination rates.

Sow Morning Glory seeds early in the season and cover lightly with 1/4" of soil. Water thoroughly once. Thin or space plants to a final distance of 6" apart. They will tolerate a little crowding if there is ample supports for their vines to spread up and out.

Passion Flower

To improve germination, lightly sandpaper the seeds on one or both sides using fine sandpaper, and then soak them in tepid water for 24 hours. Sow 2-5mm deep in peat or soil based seed compost. Temperature is probably the most important factor in germination, ideally at 20 degrees C (68F) for 16 hours and 30 degrees C (86F) for 8 hours each day. If this is not possible, then a constant temperature of 26 degrees C (79F) is advisable
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard are very easy to grow they can be planted during the spring or summer and grow until the first frost of winter, they come back in the spring to seed.

They can be planted direct into the ground and require full sun, as promised here is a recipe for swiss chard..


Put 3 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan on medium heat add about 20 sprigs of Swiss chard sauté and add mushrooms, basil and garlic. salt and pepper according to your desire. Enjoy.
Cucumbers
Here are the instructions on how to grow the cucumbers. Direct sow after all dangers of frost, I would not suggest peat pots or transplanting cucumbers because they seem not to adapt well to change. You can use a trellis or a fence for cucumbers because they grow on vines and they spread. That pack will give you at least 10 pounds of cucumbers. Apple cucumbers skin have a really pungent taste but the inside of cucumber taste normal with the exception that its crunchier and very aromatic. I suggest always taking the skin off of the cucumber. Also if you choose to save your seeds keep in mind that various cucumbers cross pollinate and you may not get the original parent if you choose to grow more than one type of cucumber ( Cucumbers also cross pollinate with honeydew,cantalope, winter melons, and small melon fruits)




by rzashida

6 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
1 large cucumber (seeded, peeled and finely chopped)
1 pinch salt (to taste)
1 pinch pepper (to taste)
Directions
1Put the cucumber into a colander and sprinkle with a little salt.
2Let rest for 10-15 minutes to allow extra juices to escape the cucumber.
3Gently squeeze the cucumber in a paper or cloth towel.
4Put everything a bowl and mix well (I don't rinse the cucumber).
5Add salt and pepper to taste.
6Refrigerate for a couple of hours prior to using (if you have time).
7 A turn or two in the food processor would yield a nice smooth sauce

Okra

Okra take a little patience to grow I suggest soaking you seeds I water a few day before you directly sow them. The require full sun after all danger of frost have passed.


Here is the recipe for fried okra

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. okra
1 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup cultured buttermilk
vegetable oil
Preparation:
1. Choose okra that is an even green color and 2" - 4" long.

2. Trim stem ends from okra and cut into 3/4" lengths.

3. Soak in buttermilk for 15 minutes.

Deep fry in 350 degrees until golden brown


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Friday, January 20, 2012

Thorny Tree Seeds , Miami Springs

After observing this thorny tree, I was curious of what it was protecting. Thorns can be seen as a defense mechanism for a plant. For example rose bush thorns protect sweet smelling flower. Well the thorny tree had what appeared to be fruit hanging off of it. I decide to grab one and to my surprise it was wooden and possibly a large nut. I sat it on my table for later use. After a few days it split open like a blooming flower. I assume it would have one large seed inside. However, the large seed inside split open as well and exposed hundreds of seeds. Oh joy , that elevates the odds of having a few bonsai's . I'm very excited by my new discovery and with so many options I can't decide whether I should directly plant, cold stratify , or what soil does best . I love nature , such a challenge .

Friday, January 13, 2012

Funky Trees Fort Lauderdale, FL

On my visit to south beach I had to endure a weeks stay at a budget hotel. I don't want to be a Internet slammer however I must admit they put more thought into landscaping than the actual hotel room.


There was a menagerie of species of trees that I've never seen, that intertwined with the tropical sun that made the hotels roaches seem dim.


Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Savannah Soap Company, Georgia

During my travels I needed to wash clothes as usual. In my search for a laundry mat I discovered a laundry mat the is earth friendly. Had a cool atmosphere and more varieties of handmade soap than I've ever seen.


If your swinging through savannah check them out they have reasonable rates and leave you with the pride of being environmental conscience.

http://thesavannahsoapco.com/

Stankin' Mushrooms Marietta,Ga

I have a unhealthy obsession with mushrooms. On occasion I like to grab my camera after a heavy rain and check out the multitude of mushrooms.


Well just my luck I discovered a UFO -safety-cone growing out the ground. I tried my luck and decided to dissected it. The smell was reminiscent of the nasty things people do.

It was oozing with a green mucus substance. I'll give anybody a shiny nickel if they could name that mushroom .