Snapdragons

 

Another one of my childhood favorite flowers, the Snapdragon!

 

 

This plant got the name Snapdragon, because when you squeeze it together properly, it actually looks like a dragon that is opening and closing its mouth.

 

 

 I have these growing in a flower pot on my front steps. They range in size from 4-8 inches. They get partial sun in the location I have them.

 

 Snapdragons are an annual here, but they are very easy to grow and bloom all summer in Minnesota.

 

 

I'm clipping the seed pods and saving them to use in a project that I'm thinking about doing for Christmas.

 

 

Have a Happy Gardening Day, Lisa

Hollyhock Tea & Hollyhock Dolls

Hollyhock Tea is long known to be very soothing to a sore throat, relieve a dry cough, and promote a healthy respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal tract.

 

Hollyhock Tea:

 

First I picked about a handful of Hollyhock flowers and buds.

 

I plucked the ends off and pulled the petals apart just to make sure there were no bugs hiding! I gave them a quick pre-soak of salted water (just in case I missed any bugs). Then I rinsed them off and strained them.

I put them in a large Mason jar in COLD water, covered the jar and let them sit on the kitchen table for twenty-four hours. It is best to use a cold infusion method as to boiling the water, to preserve the healing properties in the tea.

We used agave syrup to sweeten our Hollyhock tea, but you can use sugar or honey the same as you would in your regular tea.

The flavor of this tea was not my favorite. But it does have a very soothing aspect about it, almost a numbing feeling, so I can see why it would be wonderful for a sore throat. I think I will try freezing some in ice cube trays to save for winter, when cold and flu season hits!


Hollyhock Doll:

Here is my attempt at a Hollyhock Doll. I have three sons (soon to be four) so I have to say the boys weren't very impressed with my doll. But growing up, I had always seen them and thought they were neat, so I couldn't wait to try it!

All you need is one open Hollyhock flower, one flower bud and some toothpicks. If you pluck off the green part of the bud you will reveal a little "face-like" feature that looks like two eyes and a mouth. Turn the flower upside down, that will be the body/dress. Put a toothpick through the bottom of the bud, which is the head, and attach the two together. Break a toothpick in half and insert them into the sides of the open Hollyhock flower, that will be the arms. Your pretty fairy is done!

These would be so cute on top of cupcakes for a baby shower, bridal shower or a little girls birthday party since they are completely non-toxic and safe to eat.

 

Have fun trying something new! Lisa

The Hollyhocks are Blooming!

Another surprise was finding these Hollyhocks. I've never had them before so it's been fun to watch them grow. So far I have white, peach and fuchsia. They range in size from three feet tall to (way over my head) eight feet tall! Sadly they are being attacked by Japanese beetles at an extremely fast rate! I will be researching the best way to combat those pesky beetles...

The nice thing about Hollyhocks is that they reseed themselves every year...the down side, you don't get to choose where they regrow. So I have quite the clustered flowerbed with random Hollyhocks strewn about...but I'll take it! 
 

And did you know, the Hollyhock has a medicinal value and is completely edible. I think I'll try a few recipes and I'll let you know if they are any good!

Have a great day, Lisa

Fresh Strawberry Recipes

     It's strawberry season and I couldn't be happier! Nothing tastes better then garden fresh. I wanted to take advantage of the delicious ripe berries so I searched around and found a few recipes that interested me and wouldn't consume my entire day. I've listed three of them below. 

     The first one is a Strawberry Freezer Jam. This recipe comes from the Ball Canning website.

     Now, if you're like me and feel intimidated by the idea of putting glass jars into boiling water, (that might possibly explode!)...then this is a great beginner recipe for you! It was really easy. They say it makes 5 pints but somehow I got seven.

Strawberry Freezer Jam:

View Half Recipe

Makes about 5 (8oz) half pints                
You will need:

2 cups crushed strawberries (about 2 1lb containers)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
6 Tbsp. Ball^® Real Fruit^® Classic Pectin
5 Ball^® Plastic (8oz) Freezer Jars or 8oz half pint glass jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1.) COMBINE prepared fruit* with lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sugar, mixing thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes.
2.) COMBINE water and Ball^® Real Fruit^® Classic Pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir.
3.) ADD cooked pectin mixture to fruit mixture stir for 3 minutes.
4.) LADLE freezer jam into clean Ball^® freezer jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply caps and let jam stand in refrigerator until set, but no longer than 24 hours. Serve immediately, refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year

To Prepare Strawberries: Hull and crush one layer at a time using a potato masher.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     The second one is a Strawberry Lemonade, and oh my goodness, it is DELICIOUS! This one also comes from the Ball Canning website.

     Fresh squeezed Sunkist lemons, sugar and pureed strawberries.
THAT'S IT! Why haven't I been making this all my life? It is SO easy and has an amazingly fresh taste that just screams summer!

 

Half Recipe

You will need:

Directions:

Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate:

Makes about 7 (16oz) pints

View Half Recipe

You will need:

6 cups hulled strawberries
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups granulated sugar

                   
Directions:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) PURÉE strawberries in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, working in batches, until smooth. Transfer to a large stainless steel saucepan as completed.
3.) ADD lemon juice and sugar to strawberry puree, stirring to combine. Heat to 190° F over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
4.) LADLE hot concentrate into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
5.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

QUICK TIP:
To reconstitute, mix one part concentrate with one part water, tonic water or ginger ale. Adjust concentrate to suit your taste.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     The third one is a Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. I found this recipe a few years ago and have made some adjustments over time.

     It's a savory combo of slightly sweet, tangy and nutty. I double the batch to make three 8oz jars. It's perfect on a bed of salad greens with red onions, fresh sliced strawberries, shaved parmesan cheese and croutons...delish!

Enjoy! Lisa

Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing:

Makes about 12oz
You will need:

1 cup pureed strawberries

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

 

Put all ingredients into a large Mason jar. Cover and shake.

 

 

 

The Strawberry Patch

Last weekend I took the family out to Pine Tree Apple Orchard to pick some strawberries. I couldn't of asked for a better day, the weather was perfect! We arrived around 10am, which happened to be last wagon ride out to the field. I would suggest getting there earlier if you want to fill your whole box, because they closed for the day around 11am. That was OK for us, I only needed half a box because I wasn't sure what I wanted to make with them yet.

The strawberries were very juicy and extremely well priced at $2.05 per pound!

 

If you're thinking about getting out to the strawberry patch to pick your own strawberries, I would suggest taking the whole family. It's appropriate for all ages. The kids did a really good job of picking strawberries and they seemed to enjoy it, even my teenager!



We didn't just leave with strawberries and red fingers though...we stopped at the main bakery and bought some strawberry donuts, strawberry muffins, strawberry pound cake, strawberry-rhubarb turnovers and a strawberry-rhubarb pie to take home! I love strawberry season!

With our bounty of beautiful strawberries I made some Strawberry Freezer Jam, Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate using the Ball recipe and a Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. I will post the recipes in the next blog. (And of course, we ate many of them whole as well.)

Strawberry season started late this year so there is still plenty of time to get out there!

Happy picking, Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Eyed Susan!

I found a patch of pretty Black Eyed Susan's growing on the side of the house today. I love how dainty they are, yet bold and bright. This one is about four feet tall. There are also a ton of Hollyhocks growing in that area that are not in bloom yet. It's such a fun surprise to see what comes up in the garden when you move to a new home, kind of like a year long treasure hunt!

 

  

 

 

 It really is the simple little things in life that make me the most happy!

 

 

Happy gardening, Lisa

My Growing Corn

If your a Midwesterner then you've probably heard the old saying..."knee high by the fourth of July". Well below is a photo of my corn...knee high? I guess you could say that. As a first timer for growing corn, I'm happy with the progress it is making so far. I'm growing the Burpee Super Sweet, Bi-Color Corn.

Last night I noticed an animal has pulled a few of the stalks out right by the roots. I'm guessing it's the pesky rabbit I catch down by the garden every now and then! But for not having the garden fenced in, I can't really complain too much.

My three year old son Tycen, can't get enough corn! He just loves it. In fact he has claimed the corn bed as his own. He waters it, he weeds it, and he asks me almost daily if he can eat it yet! Patience is a virtue...so we wait.

Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July!  Lisa

Best Grass Seed Ever!

I'm so happy with the results of this grass seed I just had to write about it!

For years we tried to grow grass at our old house with no luck. Oh sure... it would grow, but the second we walked on it, the grass would die!

So when we moved into our new house we decided to try our hand at grass seed again. We kind of had to. My husband drove on the front lawn all winter so we could easily unload our boxes at the front door, great idea, right? Well, when the snow melted in the spring, all the grass was dead...lesson learned!

Here it is, SCHULTZ High Traffic Lawn. We purchased it at Menard's for about $7 for a (small) 3lb bag, but in my opinion it's worth every penny.

Being very pregnant, I just wanted easy. So I thought I would experiment with one bag of grass seed first. I didn't do any prep at all to amend the soil. Just opened the bag, sprinkled it by hand onto the dead lawn, and watered. Voila, we have grass!

It's been about a month now and we have mowed it three times. SUCCESS. It's still living! And it keeps getting thicker every day.

Here's a photo of the bag along with our new green lawn.

You can read more about it here. This is not a paid endorsement.
http://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/gardening/lawn-plant-care/schultz-3lb-hardy-lawn-mixture/p-1920567-c-10116.htm

Potato Hilling with Straw

This is my first time growing potatoes. We go through so many of them in our house. And for years I kept hearing how there is nothing better then a fresh, homegrown potato! I chose to grow the Yukon Gold, they are my favorite! I love the creamy texture and the buttery taste of them.

So last week I finally made it to Gertens garden center to get my straw bales and had planned to get five bales so I can cover my potatoes and then mulch the rest of my vegetable garden with it.  Much to my surprise the price of straw has doubled since I last purchased it a few years ago as a Halloween decoration for my yard. It was $9.50 for one straw bale, needless to say I only purchased one and that will be used for the potatoes. (I mean, there has to be a reasonable limit to how much money I stick into this garden right?)

Here's how my potatoes looked before mounding them with straw.

 

 

I'm hoping I didn't wait too long and let the plants get too tall. They were about a 12 inches high before I got them covered. I guess we wait and see!

  

  

And here they are all covered up. I have nine plants in a three foot section of a raised bed. I used chicken wire to make a cage to hold the straw in. They are a little crowded, but I didn't want to give up any more space in my garden.

 

 

I left the top four inches exposed to sunlight so they can continue growing. And with all the rain we've been having here in Minnesota, I've had to re-cover them again since I took this picture just a couple of days ago as they grew another eight inches.

 

I would love to know if any of you have had success growing potatoes this way?

 

Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Planning your garden for next year!

Here's a little tip for you if you didn't get the chance to do a garden this year, or if you plan on expanding your garden next year. Start tracking the amount of sunlight you get and marking it out NOW!

This is the mistake I made. We had just moved to our new house a few months ago and I was extremely eager to get the garden started. I only tracked the "sunlight to garden" area for two weeks, I made my adjustments and started planting. Unfortunately the sunlight has moved SO much more than I expected. Some of my beds are now only getting four to five hours of sun...big bummer! I am crossing my fingers in hopes that everything works out and my little veggies will thrive.

First Step: Pick your spot
To begin the process you will need to first mark out the area you would like to have a garden. Choose an area south of tall trees and an area far enough away from the north side of any building structure that can obstruct light (about fifteen to twenty feet). South and west facing areas are ideal.

Next step: Rise and Shine
You will have to get up early and go out to you designated area on an hourly basis until the sun goes down or is no longer shining in that area. I did this daily, but if you are tracking the whole season I think once a week would be sufficient. The sunlight started at 9am in my location and ended around 7pm.

 Note: You want to have 6-8 hours of sunlight for you vegetable garden.

Last step: Mark your territory
You can stake out your area that is in the sun using garden stakes and twine, large rocks, leftover lumber or even spray paint (as long as you don't mow the grass in that area) You will have to keep moving your markers to adjust for the suns (earths) movement, and then track how much sunlight the new area gets.

Don't forget to write it down in a notebook or journal so at the end of the growing season you can compile your findings and choose the perfect location.

I am currently doing this myself and will most likely be moving a few of my raised beds to a sunnier location this fall.

Happy Gardening. Lisa

Welcome to The Minnesota Garden Girl!

Thank you for reading my blog as I am just getting started! I am excited to bring you photos, gardening tips and updates on my gardening success and failures as the season progresses.

My reason for starting this blog was out of my own frustration of trying to find gardening information online specifically geared toward our CRAZY Minnesota weather!

Now a little about me. My name is Lisa, I am a wife, and a stay at home mother of three boys and another (boy) on the way! I'm by no way an expert gardener, but it's something I thoroughly enjoy and have been doing since I was a little girl.

Me and my Boys. Ryan, Tycen & William

Off to the garden center to buy some straw bales now, have a good evening. Lisa