The Daily Gardener
Summary: The Daily Gardener is a podcast about Garden History and Literature. The podcast celebrates the garden in an "on this day" format and every episode features a Garden Book. Episodes are released M-F.
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- Artist: Jennifer Ebeling
- Copyright: Copyright ©2019-2022, Jennifer Ebeling|The Daily Gardener All rights reserved
Podcasts:
There’s that lovely saying that goes something like, "One man’s weed is another man’s wildflower". This is especially true in the case of Queen Anne’s Lace. In the Facebook group for the show, listener Danny Perkins shared how much he enjoyed allowing Queen Anne’s Lace to reign all over in his garden. I feel the same way. But, others do not.... and, I respect that. I think one of the reasons I personally enjoy Queen Anne’s Lace is because it reminds me of Baby's Breath...
Well, the time we've waited for all year is here; it’s time to harvest tomatoes. I want to give you just a quick word of caution when it comes to harvesting your tomatoes. As gardeners, sometimes we wait too long to harvest them. Sometimes that can be unintentional, and other times, we think that letting them stay on the vine is best. However, if you wait too long, the tomatoes split. This is especially true with heirloom tomatoes...
One of the things I love to do at the end of spending time in my garden is to make some tussie mussies. Tussie mussies are also called nosegays or posies; they are small flower bouquets typically given as a gift. Mine are pretty small - with cuttings no longer than 6 inches. I like the charm of these little tussie mussies. They are super fun to drop off by someone's mailbox or simply to set down near the register of your favorite barista. They look perfect when placed on top of a book or added to...
Right about now you might be thinking about doing a little garden cleanup and preparation for fall. One of the questions I get from gardeners this time of year has to do with whether or not to let some of your plants go to seed. After spending most of the summer deadheading and illuminating all of the brown stuff on our foliage, it can be tough for some gardeners to let things go to seed.
Are you growing Gladiola? The plants are also sometimes called the Sword Lily. Gladiola is Latin for a small sword. In Victorian times, the Gladiola meant, "You pierce my heart." And the next time you see a Gladiola, take a closer look: Members of this family produce parts in multiples of three. There are 3 sepals, colored to look like petals, and 3 true petals, and 3 stamens.
Did you know that poppies were Christopher Lloyd's his favorite flower? In his short essay about poppies, he introduces 'Goliath' poppies which grow to 4 feet tall and offer the largest blooms of any poppy. Lloyd wrote about the blooms saying, "They are rich crimson, which is as exciting as scarlet. In choosing plant neighbors to vie with it, I have been best pleased with an equally bright and pure yellow giant buttercup...
Have you tried growing Castor Bean? It's one of Michael Pollen's favorite plants. Check out the way he starts his article on the plant called, "Consider the Castor Bean" : "Pretty they are not, but a garden can labor under a surfeit "sur·fuht" of prettiness, be too sweet or cheerful for its own good. Sometimes what’s needed in the garden is a hint of vegetal menace, of nature run tropically, luxuriantly amuck. For this I recommend the castor bean."
Do you have children or grandchildren? A Peter Rabbit Garden is a lovely idea for you to consider. Of course, Peter Rabbit is the creation of Beatrix Potter, who was a noted botanist and mycologist. (A mycologist studies fungi). Potter's garden was located at Hill Top Farm. In making your Peter Rabbit garden, you could add a little wooden fence or a little stone wall around the perimeter. Inside, use the herbs and perennials featured in the books:
Have you tried to propagate roses through cutting? Maybe you want to pass along an old rose from a friend or simply make more of your own. You can take a cutting of your rose, which is also called a slip. When it comes to selecting the right stem, I look for a long, young shoot. These new shoots are about the diameter of a pencil and have grown from spots I have pruned earlier in the year – which is another benefit of pruning.
Are you growing Cleome? My daughter just had her senior pictures taken and I took some cuttings from the garden for her to hold during her photo shoot. For one of the pictures, I had her hold just one large white blossom in her hands. It looked like a giant puffball and it had a very etherial quality about it Cleome is beautiful - but it is also sticky - so keep that in mind if you handle it. I know some gardeners have no trouble sowing cleome directly into their gardens....
Are you a fan of basil? A few years ago, I produced an entire long-format show about basil for the Still Growing podcast. It was Episode 573, and I called it Basilmania. At one point or another, we’ve all needed an introduction to basil and to pesto. So, if you’ve never grown basil, or smelled basil, or tasted it, or cooked with basil - I want to introduce you to it.
Today, Catholics honor St. Phocas the Gardener who lived in Turkey during the third century. A protector of persecuted Christians, Phocas grew crops in his garden to help feed the poor. Phocas is remembered for his hospitality and generosity; his garden played an important part in living both of those virtues. When Roman soldiers were sent to kill him, they could not find shelter for the night.
Have you ever tried drying flowers? Successfully drying one of your favorite flowers is such a joy. Some flowers actually look even better when they are dried. There are many options for drying flowers; air drying is the simplest. Then, of course, there's pressing. If you've never tried sand drying a bloom, you should give it a shot. Just fill a microwave-safe container with a layer of silica sand. Put the bloom on top of the sand and then bury the bloom in sand.
What’s the Difference Between Oregano and Marjoram? If you've grown both, you know they look quite similar and they are often confused for one another. But, when it comes to flavor and taste, it is easy to tell them apart. Oregano tends to be earthy, pungent, and spicy. It can easily overpower the other flavors in a dish. To subdue the pungency, cooks recommend using the dried form of oregano. On the other hand, marjoram is more mild. Use that alliteration to help you remember, Mild Marj
Have you tried growing the herb chervil? Chervil tastes similar to tarragon - it's sometimes called gourmet parsley. It has a wonderful fern-like leaf which turns red in the fall which is another plus. August is a wonderful time to sow chervil - so keep that in mind. The 1884 Dictionary of English Names of Plants lists chervil as “the shepherd’s clock’’ because the blossoms open at five in the morning and then close up around eight in the evening.