Edible Flowers and Herbs

Drying Herbs

Edible flowers and herbs are as old as time.They have been used for enhancing flavor and for garnishing foods as long as ancient cultures have been cooking.

Ten Rules of Edible Flowers  Sherry Rindels, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University writes about the the do's and don'ts  of culinary usage for edible flowers.

A few words of caution: Know your plants before you eat: Edible Flowers - 7.237 - Extension 

It is important that the proper identification of edible flowers and herbs be used. Not all flowers are edible. Some flowers and herbs are poisonous and should not be eaten. Many plants have similar common names which may cause added confusion when choosing flowers and herbs for cooking.  Always use the scientific name when choosing a flower or herb.

 

Herb Garden

 Herbs for Idaho Gardens » Idaho Landscapes and Gardens

Common herbs: basil, dill, cilantro, chives, thyme, sage
Uncommon herbs: savory, comfrey, borage 

Edible Flowers » Idaho Landscapes and Gardens  

Nasturtium

Whether you are an extraordinary cook, or a novice, enhancing your everyday cooking with edible flowers and herbs can add new flavors and enjoyment to your meals. 

Bon Appetit!

Peach Leaf Curl

I love peaches, do you love peaches? My mother, her mother and my daughter and I have all delighted in peaches and nectarines until I moved to a different climate and Peach Leaf Curl turned up on my trees. Peach leaf curl is a pathogenic fungi affecting peaches and nectarines. It is easy to identify through leaf discoloration and malformation of leaves.  It can also affect branches if not cared for and eliminated early in the life of the tree. Eventually trees will die if trees are not cared for. The goods news… Peach Leaf Curl can be treated. The Latin name of the disease is Taphrina deformans.

To Identify Peach Leaf Curl aka Taphrina deformans:

Look for puckering, and actual curling in the leaf. Leaves will have multiple hues of pink, plum, red and yellow discoloration. One will also look for thickening of leaves as leaves begin to open in spring, generally the first 2 to 3 weeks. If a tree is affected you will eventually see the fungus as the first leaves are completely formed in the spring.  Eventually leaves will turn grey and brown and either remain or fall from the tree.  Be sure to pick up and discard all affected leaves and branches, do not compost. 

How Peach Leaf Curl infects and is transmitted: The fungus overwinters on the buds and twigs of the host tree. Germination of the spores begins in spring and is dependent on rainfall. Frequent periods of rain in spring, as peach and nectarine buds are opening will lead to the infection as the fungus is already present. When rain does not occur little to no infection will occur. Spring temperatures of 40 to 65 F and .5 inches of rain fall or more are the perfect combination for Peach Leaf Curl fungus to be formed and carried to other trees by wind. The infection only occurs on new leaf and bud production. If left untreated new spores will remain on the buds and spread to twigs and branches. The cycle will repeat itself the following spring.  

How to Manage Peach Leaf Curl:

You will want to avoid excessive fertilizer and be sure to water trees correctly throughout each season.  If there is a drought be sure to water your trees to be sure they do not get stressed.  Be sure not to over water if you have excessive rainfall. One will want to water approximately 2 to 3 times per week depending on the rain and temperate in order to penetrate the soil down to 10 inches. Fungicides are available to treat Peach Leaf Curl however, timing is very important. When the tree is dormant in late fall or early spring before buds swell is the time to apply.  Be sure to read the label completely prior to any application. The fungicide you purchase should be labeled for use on edible fruit. Peach leaf curl can be prevented by purchasing resistant varieties.

There you have it, treat your trees and enjoy your peaches.

Native Landscaping in Idaho

There are so many beautiful plants that are native to Idaho that can be used to landscape around your home. These plants include many different colors, shapes, heights and peak seasons for blooming! By using native plants, you can help keep a beautiful landscape almost year-round with little effort on your part. Let the Idaho seasons begin! 

Reasons for having native landscape plants include; the short-seasons here in Idaho, native plants have adapted to our regions, native plants have lower water use, and they take less labor and maintenance. Who wouldn’t want to have a native landscape with all of those amazing perks? 

Information on landscaping with native plants can be found at University of Idaho’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website.

Picking your favorite native plants may be the hardest part of changing your landscape to a native landscape as there are so many beautiful options to choose from. 

Check out a list of native plants at the University of Idaho’s website and this article on Landscaping with Native Plants of the Intermountain Region.

When using native plants to create your landscape you are also helping provide wildlife habitat, improving your soils, and helping your local pollinators. You will reduce your water use as these plants were made to survive Idaho. You will create a beautiful scenery for yourself, a place for pollinators to roam, and a home for wildlife.

Information on how your native landscape is helping provide wildlife with habitat visit Washington State University’s website.

Need more reasons to choose to plant a native garden? Check out this video from Michigan State University and listens to Laurie Kaufman explain her reasons for switching from a traditional landscape to a native garden. 

Vertical Gardening with Pallets

Have you always wanted a garden but didn’t think you had enough outdoor space? How would you like to grow your own ‘salad wall’? Not everyone has access to large garden spaces and cities are becoming more crowded and dependent on apartment living. By 2050, almost 80% of the earth's population will be living in urban areas.

Vertical pallet gardens or “green walls” are an innovative solution that has become quite popular! They are easy to create and very sustainable. Imagine being able to create a decorative succulent wall near your front door, or being able to have fresh vegetables right on your balcony! Vertical gardens help to reduce the carbon footprint by filtering pollutants and carbon dioxide out of the air, which improves our air quality.







Not only is pallet gardening fun and easy, below are a few benefits:

• use your space more efficiently
• conserve water
• decrease insects and disease
• reduce the need to weed
• eliminate back pain by decreasing bending which is easier on your back, knees, and hips

Wood pallets are a perfect choice for your green wall. You can often find them for very little money, or even for free! You can choose to lean or hang your pallet on a wall or fence, or make a stand to hold it. See this video for a variety of pallet gardening examples.




When selecting plants for your vertical garden, choose plants with a shallow root system: lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, arugula, spinach, chard, dwarf peas, parsley, bush beans, and kale. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, and basil are also perfect for pallet gardening as well.


It is important to know the right type of pallet to use. If you decide to grow food plants, use a pallet that is stamped “HT,” which means heat treated. This type of pallet does not have chemicals that can leach out into your garden. If recycling a used pallet, kill any bacteria that may be lurking inside by scrubbing down the wood with a bleach solution and then soapy water and let it dry before planting.




How to Build a Pallet Garden: See this video for a demonstration.




If you choose to line all 4 sides of the pallet with landscape fabric and cut holes in front for your plant, complete steps 1-3 first. If you choose not to, skip to step 4.

1. Lay your pallet down horizontally, and use a staple gun to adhere landscape fabric to the pallet.
2. Once you have 3 sides done, fill the pallet with potting soil. Press potting soil down firmly. 
3. Staple the last landscape fabric to the front of the pallet.
4. Transfer your plants while the pallet is still lying flat. It is a good idea to leave the pallet laying horizontally for 1-2 weeks to allow the young plants to take root. 
5. When watering, start at the top and water each section a little less because the water will seep downward to the bottom of the pallet. Water frequently as plants will dry out quickly. 
6. Fertilize your plants, as recommended specific to your plants, to provide them the nutrients they need to grow.


I WANT A FRUIT TREE. NOW WHAT?

Selecting fruit trees to grow in your yard or orchard depends on several factors:  available space, height and width restrictions, soil type, exposure to good light and air circulation, preferred type of fruit, type of root-stock, and much more. 

The first step is to plan. 

·         The following factors should be considered as you plan: 

• Climate zone,
• Soil type and pH,
• Location and surrounding landscaping,
  
• Drainage,
• Overhead restrictions (power lines, other trees, shading),
• Width restrictions (fences, buildings, property lines),
• Underground restrictions (sewer/power/telephone lines, septic tanks or drain fields, layers of poor soil, wells),
• Irrigation and fertilizing,
• Time needed for tree care,
• Pruning,
• Harvesting,
• Spraying.

Selection of the trees is one of the most important steps. 

There are several great resources to help you select a tree for your yard.
The Pacific Northwest Handbooks publication EC 819, Growing Tree Fruits and Nuts in the Home Orchard
The Treasure Valley is Area II in this publication.

Other factors to consider are: 

•          Choose a reliable nursery with appropriate stock selected for this area,
•          Choice of fruit,
•          Varieties of chosen fruit that grow best in this region, 
•          Dwarf or semi-dwarf root stock,
•          Bare root, ball and burlap (B&B), or containerized stock,
•         Need of a pollinator or self-pollinator,
•          Blooming and harvest times,
•          Pests – insects, birds, or disease resistant.

To maintain a strong tree or orchard, time must be given towards tree health.   There are numerous publications from Extension Services through the University of Idaho, Washington State University, and Oregon State University to assist you with your specific trees.

https://youtu.be/_YqQPtsC-eA

The following are important items to consider toward maintaining a vigorous home fruit tree:

•          Training of tree branches,
•         Thinning and pruning,
•          Irrigation needs,
•          Fertilization needs,
•          Insect and disease control,
•          Weed 
•          Rodent control.

Click for more fruit tree information 

This helpful publication below is specific to the Treasure Valley. It can be obtained free of charge from the University of Idaho Extension Services offices in Canyon County (208) 459-6003.

In summary, a backyard fruit tree or orchard is a wonderful addition to your landscaping.  Be sure to choose trees that are compatible to your region, soil, and property.  With the proper selection, you can enjoy fruit from your backyard trees for many years to come.

                       

                       

HIKE UP YOUR BIG BOYS! Tomato Cages

There are as many designs of tomato cages as there are preferences to their use. There is a variety of materials to use for tomato cages, as well. You need to consider what you want out of your tomato supports. How long do you want them to last? Wooden crates can be built or purchased and are relatively inexpensive but the wood will eventually rot so you may get fewer years of use from this type of support. Wire supports will last longer but sometimes they aren’t strong enough to support large tomato plants. PVC works well but sometimes take longer to put together and the sun will eventually weaken them. You also have to consider where you will store the cages when they aren’t being used. 

• How much room do you have? 
• Can the cage be dismantled so it will store in a smaller spot?

Now you need to consider design:

•  How easy will it be to prune and harvest your tomatoes in the cage you use? 
• Do you need the bottom open to allow for easy weeding and watering? 
• Do you need the top more open to make harvesting your ripe tomatoes easier?

Once you have determined what design and material you want to use, there are numerous sites that will give you detailed instructions on building your tomato cages and pros and cons of the multitude of designs available. 

One thing is certain, you will need to support your tomatoes to get a healthier and more abundant harvest. Enjoy!

Want amazing color in your garden “where the sun don’t shine?”

Coleus (Coleus blumei)  Coleus plants are eye-dazzlers and easy to grow with impossibly colorful leaves. They are not grown for their flowers but for their leaves.In fact you should pinch flowers off when they appear so that plant energy goes to the leaves. The leaf patterns and colors are distinctly on the wild side — spotted, splashed, and edged in shades of color ranging from purple, yellow, pink, intense red, and luminous chartreuse. Coleus thrives in heat and part shade and only need regular watering to flourish all summer. Some coleus trail so they make the perfect “spiller” for shady area pots.

 

Coleus can stand alone in the shade garden but are spectacular added to the Hostas or Ferns in the shade garden.  Coleus come in so many colors and shapes that they can be placed from the back to the front of your shade garden and make a statement or blend nicely with the perennials you already have planted.  

Coleus are fairly easy to start indoors from seed or plants are readily available just about anywhere nursery plants are sold.  Coleus will be the first plant to succumb to fall frost but if you move them indoors prior to that frost they make colorful houseplants over the winter.

 

 Cornell University has great information for choosing the right coleus variety and growing them in your home garden. 

There are new varieties that grow well in the sun as shown in this video.

Let's get growin' coleus!