Category Archives: Vegetable Gardening

Friday Flowers. Mint Blossoms

Oh how I love mint. I don’t know why I love this humble herb so much.  Is it the fresh scent that exudes from every leaf making me feel happy instantly?  Is it that it is so easy to grow that even a novice gardener can grow it? Or is it that it grows so easily and prolifically that if allowed it could take over any garden patch covering it in swaths of green. Or is it that whenever I am working in the garden and happen to rub against a mint leaf I get a whiff of sweet fragrance making me forget the cares of the world, if only for an instant. I love mint so much that I even wrote an ode to mint.  I just love mint. Continue reading Friday Flowers. Mint Blossoms

Summer’s End and Fall Planting in our Veggie Patch

Summer’s End 
by Thaddeus from Farmfreshtoyou.com

It’s evening after the heat of summer afternoon, and I am walking down the dusty gravel road that curves along the canal through the farm.
Beyond the canal our first planting of heirloom tomatoes has been disasembled.
The vines once supported by stakes and string that tower over six feet tall now lie on their sides in awkward lumps.
In the fallen tomatoes, I see a coyote who already sees me. We look at each other, both wondering what the other will do until we both keep going about our evening activities mindful that the other is still there.
Soon this field will be chopped and planted over to cover the crop and these tomato vines will be remembered only on my spreadsheet that tracks history by fields. Continue reading Summer’s End and Fall Planting in our Veggie Patch

Veggie Garden Envy. Veena & Mani’s Veggie Garden in Monte Sereno, California

My flowers have been blooming like gangbusters this summer with nonstop blooms all summer long.  It’s the fairly mild summer we have been having this year that’s making my garden so happy, though in August we have been getting some hot temperatures reaching upto 90s and even 100.  Despite all this cool, warm, hot weather, Anjali’s herb patch is looking great as ever! Continue reading Veggie Garden Envy. Veena & Mani’s Veggie Garden in Monte Sereno, California

The Gardens of the Alhambra. Granada, Spain

The Alhambra Castle and Fortress in Granada has to be one of the most visited places in Spain with five to eight thousand visitors a day from all over the world. This giant castle and fortress compound spans over 35 acres and is covered in the most stunning gardens.

Continue reading The Gardens of the Alhambra. Granada, Spain

Drying Herbs at Home 🌿

When I visited my sister Banu in Philadelphia a while back I saw her use this amazing selection of dried herbs for a vegetarian chili she was making.  The herb bottles were beautifully labeled and the herbs dried to perfection. My other sister Shobha and I looked at these beautiful herbs in awe; they looked like Banu had bought them from a specialty food shop, only to find out that Banu dried them all herself at home. 

Continue reading Drying Herbs at Home 🌿

Mint. The Social Butterfly of the Garden

Mint, you get a bad rap so often. You take over like a weed many gardeners say. Your fragrance and flavor is very strong, so use it lightly chefs recommend. But to me, you are the social butterfly of the garden.

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At any good party we need at least one social butterfly that livens up the gathering with their talkative, amicable, and fun presence.  These personalities mingle easily with everyone and make people feel warm and special. That’s what you are mint, a social butterfly in the garden. Continue reading Mint. The Social Butterfly of the Garden

Farm Fresh Veggies Delivered to Our Door

I love farmer’s market veggies, so naturally when I received this message from my friend Rita last week “Hi, I have some extra spinach, dill, chard, turnips, arugula and Tuscan kale from my farmer’s market  friend. Would you ladies want some?”  “Delivery included 😉.  Which would you like, some of each?  How could my answer for farm fresh veggies delivered to our door be anything but a resounding, YES, PLEASE. Thank you so much!”  My friend Rose requested a combo of spinach, chard, arugula and kale. I asked for all of it!  Rita’s response was “Ok I’ll drop them off at both your porches tomorrow afternoon. You’re welcome!”   Continue reading Farm Fresh Veggies Delivered to Our Door