Swiss chard is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Here in Austin, it thrives almost year-round and is the last of the leafy greens to die when the summer kicks in in full force. The rainbow and red varieties are also highly ornamental and are ideal for edible landscapes. Still, some people don’t quite know how to use it in the kitchen! With all More
Austin weather…what can we say? One day it’s 75 degrees and sunny, the next it’s snowing. The plants are so confused, and gardeners start getting spring fevered a bit too early. Last weekend at the Natural Gardener I saw people buying tomato seedlings! Me, I am patient. My tomatoes never go in the ground until at least St. Patrick’s Day. But Valentine’s Day is another More
Yesterday was the first day of the Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year and Spring Festival. I have enjoyed cooking special foods for this holiday for the last couple of years, and this year I was more excited to cook last night’s fortuitous dinner even more than before. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, my sign, considered the most powerful and More
While the tomato plants sit there looking brown and pathetic, the tomatillos have taken over the bed and are producing ridiculous amounts. This year I planted them from seed for the first time, from a mix seed packet from Renee’s Garden. I am especially thrilled with the purple variety, which is more commonly used in Central Mexico. They are smaller and stay tart, where the More
My tomatoes are a bust, but so what? I am drowning in cucumbers. At this point, we have eaten cucumber, in one form or another, everyday for the last four weeks. We do love them year round, but in the summer nothing beats their refreshing flavor, toothsome crunch, and recipe versatility. I have been getting creative with cucumbers and I have come up with some More