Birds of a Feather

Standing on my back porch this morning, sipping herbal tea - looked over to see a peacock strolling down a pathway with its beautiful colorful plumage. Thought "What a great way to start out the day!"

Imagine my surprise to see such a colorful bird strolling along.

We seem to attract all kinds of animals to our place. My husband said the daughter of one of his regular customers asked her when were they going back to the zoo?

(meaning our place.)

Back to the Zoo
We’re not actually raising any of these interesting animals but our neighbors are. One neighbor has had donkeys for as long as I can remember. Now they are down to one donkey and a peacock. Our other neighbor has/had chickens. Most recently their rooster was a common sight roaming the greenhouses and grounds.
 The rooster has since disappeared – he may have gone on to fulfill a higher purpose for our neighbor – he was pretty plump last time I saw him.

The peacock put on quite a show for Herbie's enjoyment.

Google Peacocks
Not knowing much about peacocks,  I googled online. According to the National Geographic website's Fast Facts: peacocks are omnivores with an average life span in the wild of 20 years. They are “ground-feeders that eat insects, plants, and small creatures.” (hopefully not weenier doggies)

I can surely vouch that they have a very distinctive call that can be heard early in the morning and throughout the day.

According to TropicalBirds.com, peacocks can grow to 50 yrs of age. They need adequate perch and roosting room. The neighbor's peacock seemed to enjoy being perched on our compost pile, the fence and in the fenced back yard. I guess that’s why the peacock likes our area so much as there are lots of places to perch, and yes, they can fly.

Herbie and Daisy curiously checked him out but didn't bother getting too close. You might say the peacock kept Herbie a tail length away. His tail seemed to be a good 5 feet long. “The tails (in males) molt every August. A male adult peacock takes three years to develop the full birds eye tail span.”

Facts about Indian Peacocks by Rosemary Drisdelle explains the bird with the beautiful display of feathers is the male peacock. Females are called peahens and babies are called peachicks. Driselle explains they “can live for at least 15 years in captivity but probably not that long in the wild.” Following is an excerpt of history, facts and little more about them that she listed:

Interesting Info
• The natural habitat of peafowl is dry open forest. The birds remain on the ground most of the time and do not fly long distances.
• In the wild, peafowl nest and feed on the ground, but roost high in the trees, ascending early in the evening.
• The eerie call of the peafowl is often heard when rain is approaching.
• Peafowl tend not to get on well with other domestic animals.
• Peafowl eat insects, seeds, plant seedlings, fruit, and small reptiles.
• Because of their taste for seeds and insects, peacocks and peahens are drawn to gardens and compost piles, where they can become a nuisance.

Driselle also explained that “domestic peafowl are valued in India because they eat young cobras.” I feel safer already.

The End

Ice Storm in South Texas

We are still recuperating from our recent mid 20 degree icey weather last week. Donny was up three nights in a row making sure nursery stayed above freezing running propane heaters and a generator when the electricity went out.

Herb plants survived the unusual freeze we had, thanks to our cold weather protection.

Neighbor's iced over mesquite trees run along the fence line.

Most everything covered with a layer of ice before it melted.

Water melting from heated greenhouse formed icicles.

Broccoli, cauliflower and romanesco plants covered in nature's blanket.

 

Live oak covered in ice.

Purple cauliflower

Icicle Man goes amuck.

Mesquite tree lined roadway shimmering from the ice covered branches.

Watered garden well. Placing large plastic pots over herb
shrubs then covering with serapes helped protect newly
planted and existing herb garden plants from the freeze.

This is most unusual weather for our normal sunny, breezy, South Texas - I think everyone is still finding out what if any damage they've had from this cold snap.

Hope you fared well, wherever you may be.

Garden updates

Wacky Wabbit? (Can you find him now?)



Large rosemary surrounded by silvery lambs ear and more.














 



Herbs planted in raised beds with mulch make them happy.



Husband planting new herb beds makes wife happy.



Caviar on Lettuce

 

Caviar anyone?

 


















Caviar on lettuce? I wish - no, turns out this is old fashioned caterpillar poop, of all things. Out harvesting greens for my salad and found these. Wondered if the caterpillars had a preference of one type of lettuce over another but seems like they like them all.


The caterpillars grow fast - in proportion to what they eat. Best to catch them small if they are there. More salad for me to eat than them. I wonder if caterpillar poop makes good compost?

 

Another sign of a visitor in the garden. Chewed up lettuce leaves.



 

 

Garden Detective Tips
(or what I learn by doing - best way for me)

• Look for telltale signs of bites out of the leaves, or caviar on lettuces.
• Inspect underside of each leaf.
• The green caterpillar is easier to find on the darker lettuce leaves than on the green leaves.
• It is easier to detect signs left from the green cateripillar on the green ones cause of the contrasting droppings they leave behind.

Bug Detail
Sunday afternoon and want am I doing? Trying to ID an ugly bug in my garden to figure out if it’s a good one or bad one. Can’t decide if it’s a wheel bug (good one) or a leaf footed bug or ? I did find a good link of different photos of bugs at True Bugs.

I have the Texas Bug Book by Malcolm Beck and Howard Garrett to check if they are good or bad bugs. This books has some great stories of Malcolm's experiences with lots of bug pictures.

 

Feel like a kid again checking out what’s close to the ground. Now with the super raised garden beds I can really get up close and check things out. Will try and get a photo for next time.

 

I know if I leave most things alone, nature will step in and take care of it for me anyway.

Easy Herbal Drink Refreshments

I apologize for taking so long to post these much requested recipes that I serve at our garden parties.
Secret Garden Rosemary Tea
• 46-oz can unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 T dried rosemary or 6 T chopped fresh – best flavor fresh
• Dash of Salt
• 1/2 to 1 ½ Cups Sugar depending on your preference – Best to add little at a time and taste (one time I accidentally got the sweetened pineapple juice and didn’t need to add sugar and another time I used grapefruit juice and that was good too)
• 1 ½ Cups Lemon Juice – fresh squeezed or bottle concentrate
• 1 Qt. Water

• Combine 1/2 can pineapple juice w/CHOPPED rosemary in a pan.
• Bring to boil, cover.
• Remove from heat and steep 10 min.
• Strain out rosemary. Stir into above decoction, along with the remaining half can of pineapple juice. Cool; pour over plenty of ice.
• Float thin slices of lemon, lime and sprigs of fresh rosemary on top.
• Can also float slices of star fruit (Carambolo) and Australian violets. Looks very nice in a big glass carafe or punch bowl.

I don’t add the water. Instead I add lots of ice and let it melt.

Adapted from the Penn Cumberland Garden Club, Fairy Folk Tea Party

I took the above recipe and put a twist on it - using our wonderful Magic Valley fresh grapefruits!

Rosemary Grapefruit Lemonade
• Six freshly squeezed grapefruits (or 46 oz. canned grapefruit juice)
• 2 T dried rosemary or 6 T chopped fresh – best flavor fresh
• 1/2 to 1 ½ Cups Sugar depending on your preference – Best to add little at a time and taste
• 1 ½ Cups Lemon Juice – fresh squeezed or bottle concentrate
• 1 Qt. Water

• Combine juice of three fresh squeezed grapefruits (or 1/2 can grapefruit juice) w/CHOPPED rosemary in a pan.
• Bring to boil, cover.
• Remove from heat and steep 10 min.
• Strain out rosemary. Stir into above decoction, along with the remaining three fresh squeezed grapefruits (or with the remaining half can of pineapple juice)
• Cool; pour over plenty of ice

• Float thin slices of lemon, lime and sprigs of fresh rosemary on top.

• Can also float slices of star fruit (Carambolo) (also sold at the Farmers Market) and Australian violets. Looks very nice in a big glass carafe or punch bowl.
I don’t add the water. Instead I add lots of ice and let it melt.

Bona Fruitee - Enjoy!

My Happy Birthday Herb Garden

Got home this evening and my wonderful husband surprised me by planting an herb garden outside our back porch as his belated birthday gift to me. As my Dad would say "It is a thing of beauty and joy forever." I LOVE IT and was totally surprised! Just what I wanted. I am so excited.


Silly Wabbit



















Some people complain about rabbits in their garden. They might even put up a
scarecrow in their garden. Not us. We got us a big ole "Wacky" lookin rabbit
peeking out of the lavender, basil and chives.

I think "Wacky" would scare a snake with this look. "Wacky" rabbit is one of
the many interesting finds I discovered in my newly planted birthday gift herb garden.


Welcome in Mosaic





 

Mosaic Bird Bath

It begins with a nice mosaic "Welcome" sign high enough to still be seen once all the herbs start growing in and filling up this herb garden room. A miniature mosaic bird bath may serve more for a water bowl unless "Wacky" rabbit scares all the four legged creatures away.

Still checking what herb plant surprises are included.

Red Ruben Basil - This and Purple Ruffle Basil
are one of my favorites on fresh sliced garden tomatoes
sprinkled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and goat cheese.

Yummy Oregano

 "Wacky" rabbit looks well fed in this garden, doesn't he?

 

Newly mulched Red Veined Sorrel

 

Herbs like salad burnet, savory, sage, sorrel, different basils, thyme, oreganos,
chives, anise hyssop, lavender and rosemary nestle among the winding
mulched raised garden bed and walkway.



I've already harvested fresh herbs from my new garden in our dinner this evening.

Thank you Donny for the best gift ever!

Garden Basics for Newbie Gardeners

I am so proud of you as a gardening newbie! Remember it’s about having fun and trial and error. Some of the best learning times in gardens is just going through different experiences trying different things. What’s the fun if everything comes out perfect? It’s especially fun for you if you have children or grandchildren to make memories together in the garden now that they will remember all the rest of their lives.

My dad grew tomatoes when I was little and I always think of him when I eat homegrown tomatoes. I always think of my mom when I taste and smell honeysuckle. I wish we’d had an herb garden back then cause the wonderful fragrances would trigger all kinds of memories of them.

Basic Gardening Tips
As a new gardener, I’m going to give you some basic gardening tips in addition to answering your question. I hope I do not overwhelm you – that is not my intention. Take some of the info or all of it – whatever you do will be good.

Mulching and Watering Tips
It’s good to keep herbs & veggies watered and mulched. Mulching your garden keeps the soil from getting so hot and drying out quickly (conserving water). Mulching also helps keep the weeds down and if they do come up they are easier to pull through the mulch. You can buy mulch at your local nursery or garden center. I like the cedar mulch myself. You open the bag and spread it several inches deep around the base of your plants and throughout the flower bed but not right up against the plant – leave several inches clear of the plant stems. It’s not a big deal if some is touching but do not pile in on top of the plant as bugs will get in there and start eating the stems that are covered with the mulch.

You don’t want to over water your plants because if you do, oxygen won’t get to the roots and too much water will smother and drown them which kills the plant. When watering, water slowly and deeply and before you water again check how wet they are by poking one of your fingers in the soil next to the plant before watering again. If the soil feels soggy or real muddy, you don’t need to water. If it’s starting to feel dried out, water. Plants always look much better after a nice rain as rain helps to wash away the salts that build up in the soil. So rainwater tops hose or irrigation water every time. We usually get rain all at once or not at all.



Raised beds shown above before mulching.


Raised Beds
Raised beds also make for a better herb and veggie garden which allows good drainage for plants to grow. That’s important in our soils and in other places as well.

Every year you can add compost to the soil in your beds turning with a shovel or pitchfork or tilling the top 12 inches and the soil will get better and better and easier to work. Don’t expect it to be perfect the first year.

You can tell in our garden which are the older beds as they are a lot easier to work in compared to the newer ones. You wouldn’t believe how much time my husband will spend on preparing the bed but when he does the payoff is really good. As you improve your beds, the improved soil will be able to retain water much better and the healthier the soil the healthier your plants.
Now to answer your question…

Flowering Basil?
Use basil often as pruning encourages it to grow bushier and this prolongs the plant’s life. Basil will sometimes start blooming as soon as it starts growing, but keep the bloom stalks cut off as much as possible. The plants will get woody the older they get and leaves a bit sparser. It’s good to plant basil at different times throughout the growing season to keep a fresh supply. Where we live it grows a lot longer before needing replacement.

So it’s not bad that basil flowers but it’s good to keep them cut – I like to cut the flowers and bring them in and fill containers with water and the fresh cut herbs – it smells so nice and looks pretty.