The Tasteful Garden

Here we go again, our 15th season!

2011-02-27T08:47:00.000-08:00

We have been shipping plants now for 15 years, it seems like only yesterday that we sent out 21 boxes and were exhausted from all that work. Now we send out over a thousand every week during the season and have 20 employees helping us. An entire greenhouse full of plants is emptied every week and refilled right away so we always have new ones to replace them.

We are looking forward to a great 2011 season and hope you are getting your gardens planned. Visit tastefulgarden.com today to get started!

Kickin off the season!

2010-02-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

Weather outside is frightful...but inside our greenhouses it is delightful! We are quickly filling our greenhouses and it is so nice to be in that toasty, moist environment with the plants breathing out all that wonderful oxygen! I wish you could all experience it.

We begin shipping a week from Monday if all goes well and no blizzards show up. When will this weather break???

Blizzard or no, gotta have tomatoes!

2010-02-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

I know there is a blizzard outside, but really, don't you just dream about fresh garden tomatoes? It's time to get planning for spring! Oh, just one Rose de Berne would keep me going for another 3 months...

BRRRRR!

2010-01-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

I can't remember it ever being this cold for this long in past years. At least we can keep our greenhouses toasty warm and as long as the sun comes out, we are getting very good seed germination. 7 more weeks and we will begin shipping tomatoes to the warmer areas!

It's that time again!!!

2009-11-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hooray! I have finally finished our 2010 catalog and whew, what a job! Our final selections have been made and everything is now ready for ordering. It is so much fun for me to choose our varieties and even the tools and supplies we will offer and I think this year is the best catalog ever. We have so many great new products and delicious vegetables for you to try.

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

I know everyone doesn't eat turkey on Thanksgiving but we always do and it seems to be the icon of the holiday. Whether you brine or not, baste or bag, smoke or deep fry your turkey, there is something very comforting about eating this fabulous bird every year.

Our memories of this holiday are so distinctive and mine always include the leftovers! We used to eat leftover turkey in gravy on a "shingle" or piece of toast and the memory of that meal makes my mouth water to this day. My French Canadian grandmothers always made a soup called Frico that was so incredible I crave it every year. I don't know why we don't make more turkeys during the rest of the year but I am all for it.

Here is my grammy's recipe for Frico au Poulet:

1 onion, chopped finely
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 tsp. Summer Savory dried or 2 tsp. fresh (Thyme may be substituted)
2 tsp. butter
Sauté first 3 ingredients in butter until onion is translucent. Set aside.
1 whole chicken or a turkey carcass and leftover turkey
enough water to cover or approx. 2-3 quarts

Boil gently for approximately 1 hour, removing the scum from the top, until meat is very soft and begins to fall off the bones. Remove carcass/chicken from the broth. When cooled enough to handle, remove all meat from the bones and break up any large pieces of meat and add them back to the broth or if using leftover turkey, break it up and add it to the broth along with the sautéed vegetables.
2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
Bring broth back up to the boil and add potatoes, cook potatoes about 5-10 minutes.

Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk

Combine first three ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the center. Slowly add milk to create a dough that is dry enough to handle, not sticky. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead briefly and gently to combine and smooth the dough. Roll dough to 1/8" thickness or less and cut into small 1" squares.
Add dumplings, one at a time, to simmering stew adding more water to the broth if necessary. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.

New Tomato Varieties

2009-11-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

We are so excited about growing so many new tomatoes this season! Here is just a sneak peek at some of our new varieties for 2010:

Chocolate Stripes: Dark red, almost brown color with striking green-gold stripes, this Chocolate Stripes tomato is robust in flavor, with sweet notes and complex undertones. The whole tomato is a beauty too--a medium-large globe that is a dark, chocolaty red with green stripes. A big winner at Tomato Fest last year for flavor and beauty. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but the plant has some disease resistance, is a huge producer and fruit has perfect texture. Definitely has the sweetness of a black. Perfect balance of meatiness and juicyness.

Green Grape:
This old-fashioned tomato is an heirloom originally developed by the Tater Mater Seed Co. from crossing the Yellow Pear with Evergreen. The distinctive 1”, yellowish green fruits are borne in clusters of 6-12 that resemble large muscat grapes. Fruit has a translucent pale-green on the inside. This variety has become popular in restaurants and markets because of their unique attractiveness and great punch of flavor. Excellent mixed with other cherry tomatoes such as Black Cherry and Sweet Million.

Vintage Wine:
One of the most beautiful tomatoes available today, Vintage Wine bears beefsteak-style fruits weighing up to 1.5 lbs. A recent introduction and is still rare in the tomato world. Fruits are brilliantly colored, with a bright red base and orange and yellow stripes. Pulp is thick, with a full tomato flavor

And a new pepper too!

Sweet Pickle Pepper:

Very compact plants are loaded with these beautiful upright peppers in colors of red, orange, yellow, and purple, all at the same time. Similar to the hot ornamental peppers, these Sweet Peppers are larger at about 2 inches long and chunky, making for a spectacularly colorful display. This fruit is very edible and sweet, especially when fully ripened to red. As the name suggests, would be beautiful pickled in clear glass jars

2009-07-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

Canning again, my feet hurt, I smell like a tomato and my fingers are sore from peeling tomatoes. Our Romas and San Marzanos are prolific this year and the Opalkas are giant! The color red that they turn when canned is just beautiful and they call out for the tomato soup and spaghetti sauce in the winter. There is a great sense of accomplishment when the first jars start filling up my cupboard where I keep the seasons harvest in jars. Corn is in the freezer and onions are dried and ready to use all year long. Our Blueberries were a bumper crop and made the most amazing jam! There is nothing like it in any grocery store anywhere!

24 jars of pickles seems like a lot I know but we have a lot of folks around here for lunchtime in the spring and those pickles will all get eaten. Thank goodness watermelons don't need canning but all those apples all over the apple tree are going to make apple butter this year which cooks down in the slow cooker. We also have the prettiest french filet beans in yellow and green all packed into jars to enjoy for a long time.

Putting up is exhausting work, how did women survive doing this all summer long every year? I am afraid my family would have starved by the end of November. Living out in the country like we do, I can't just run to the store and get dinner every night so it is nice to have lots of great staples to choose from but I don't think we could live off of our own garden yet. We do have our own eggs and beef and we are lucky to trade for pork and sometimes chicken too.

Tomato Late Blight in the Northeast

2009-07-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

Reports of Bonnie's Plants in the Northeast with Late Blight are in the news right now and I am sure many folks are worried about their tomato plants. This is an incredibly nasty disease that causes terrible looking lesions which start on the stems and move to the leaves.

Because of the distribution of plants all over the country by Bonnie's and others, and the fact that they don't know where it is coming from, Bonnie's greenhouses or at the stores, they are very concerned and have pulled plants off the shelves of several stores. This is akin to the situation with produce that is grown in factory farms, processed in very large scale and distributed all over the country. When there is an outbreak, it is almost impossible to control the spread.

If your plant shows signs of these particular lesions, they should be destroyed immediately, you will not be able to prevent the spread of the disease. Because the fungal spores travel airborne, it will move to your other plants and only get worse. If you don't have lesions like this, don't worry, you are probably just fine. We haven't had any reports of lesions on any of our plants and we don't have any reason to believe our plants have been contaminated since we don't sell in big box stores.

Fungicides can be used to prevent this disease and prevention is important if you live in areas where rainfall is extremely heavy for weeks at a time. This creates the perfect conditions for the spread of diseases.

Fall Vegetable Gardening! Yes, fall!

2009-06-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

Here at The Tasteful Garden we are always one season ahead of you and believe it or not, we are getting ready for Fall. We have selected our varieties and are seeding now to have plants ready for shipping during August 17th-September 14th.

We have also updated our Fall Vegetable Gardening page to give you tips on when to plant, what to plant and what to do with the plants you have in now.

This gorgeous Swiss Chard "Rainbow" is just one of the many selections that are best grown during the cooler season. Others include Beets, Radishes, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Kale, Radicchio, Spinach and Lettuces. So many varieties, so little time!

Harvesting Time

2009-06-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

Well after not having time to think for so long I realized that it has been quite a while since I posted to this blog. I have been enjoying reading our other Tasteful Garden blogs and I hope you have too! I especially like Teresa's blog about the fairy visiting her garden and the compost blog from Jenny where at a party on her patio, the guests put their paper plates into her compost bin!

Here at The Tasteful Garden, we harvested onions this morning and the first tomatoes, a couple of San Marzano Redortas. The squashes are trying to get going and have lots of baby fruit but we are losing them to squash vine borers and hope to save one or two.

Sunflowers are about 36" high and the french filet beans are starting to bloom. Peppers are thriving and we are already almost tired of cucumbers, not quite but almost.

The cows got out again the other night, before we finished the electric wire on the fence, and ate every corn stalk we had. Oh well, the neighbors corn looks great so maybe a trade...

We are getting ready to do some construction around here to enlarge our packing room to double the size and we will be putting up yet another greenhouse to make room for more plants next year. We keep growing and growing!

Michelle Obama's Vegetable Garden!

2009-03-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, that is just the coolest thing. We are so proud of Michelle and thrilled with the decision to plant a vegetable garden at the White House. Alice Waters and so many other wonderful gardening folks got this idea started many years ago and this year just became the perfect year for it. We are offering to donate tomato plants, we will keep you updated if that happens!

There is just nothing better for the American Family than the great example they are setting. Eating vegetables from your own yard, community garden, or farmer's market is all about good health, happy family activity, and respect for the planet too! Never mind that it is a great thing to share with your neighbors.

YEA!!!

Absolutely Gorgeous Tomato Plants!

2009-03-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

Every year it is exciting to see the new crop of plants come to size but I can tell you that this year is the best ever. We have beautiful plants in our greenhouses and I just wish you could all walk through with me. That tomato plant smell is so strong and the plants are just growing by the minute!

We have a fantastic selection and we are so proud of our babies!

We will be adding future posts with diary entries about how some of our long time customers are doing with their growing season, from all over the country. If you want to add your Tasteful Garden diary, email us.

February is getting very springy

2009-02-18T15:03:00.000-08:00

We have seen Forsythia in bloom and Daffodils are open, the first fruit trees are turning white and one Rhododendron flower has opened. Our camelias are in full bloom and some nice warm weather has been making it feel like spring is just around the corner! But the thing that most makes it spring around here is the greenhouses filling up with tomatoes, peppers and herbs! The first tomato plants of the season are about 4" tall and look gorgeous! We will begin our first shipment on March 2nd and from that point on it will be chaos around here.

When do I plant tomatoes in my area is one of the most commonly asked questions we get so here are some helpful tips and a map of expected average last frost dates for the US. Keep in mind that these are estimates so you should always be careful to watch out for late frosts that can do severe damage to young tomato plants. Also, using wall o' waters or season extending mini greenhouses can give you an earlier planting time and give a boost to your plants that will get you larger fruit than your neighbors!

The best time to plant is not the same for everyone. Each person has to decide at what point their garden is ready for certain types of herb and vegetable plants. Perennial Herbs can be planted just about anytime it is beginning to get warm but Annual herbs such as Basil and Dill need to wait until night temperatures are well above freezing every night. Tomatoes and other "warm season" vegetables are frost tender and will be severely damaged by even a light frost which can happen when temperatures are as low as 36-38 degrees. "Cool season" vegetables such as lettuce and broccoli like a bit of frost but a light freeze can cause damage and hard freezes will kill them completely.

Getting Ready for Spring

2009-01-23T14:04:00.000-08:00

Wow, we really had a warm day today! Every time the weather gets warm and sunny during the wintertime it is a good day to work outdoors. I do think we can get depressed being stuck in the house so much so take advantage when a warm day comes along. Here are a couple suggestions for quick 1 day projects in the garden:

Build a raised bed
A simple box is easy to build with a few screws and a good drill. You can even get the boards cut for you at the lumber store. You can also use angle irons or special hardware for attaching corner boards to each other that will make your box strong and able to last for several years. (We also have special sturdy plastic hinge connectors in our catalog) Once your box is built, dig up the grass where you want to put it, rototill it a bit and add lots of good soil mix and compost. Use the stuff for outdoor planting beds, not regular potting soil for indoor use. That compost will work even on cold days to get the bed ready for planting once you are past your last frost date.

Start a compost heap
Compost is like gold in the garden and it is easy to get started. All you need is a place to put it, shaded and out of the way, some kind of support to hold it all together, (hay bales work great) and access to the hose. There are so many ways to build a compost container but you don't need anything expensive. Read more about composting here

Plan your garden
Spend some time thinking about where you will put your plants this year, how many of each you will need, what varieties to grow and when you want to plant. Drawing this out on paper, or on your computer is fun and keeps you organized so you will not end up with too much of one thing. Think about the sun exposure--don't shade out any lower growing vegetables. Then visit The Tasteful Garden for a fun shopping experience choosing all your fantastic flavored vegetables.

Black Swallowtail Larvae

2009-01-15T14:11:00.001-08:00

Watch this caterpillar eat through the parsley leaves! Amazing.

New Videos from Garden Fork

2008-12-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

New videos are now available from our Growing Tips page which include some from our friends at Garden Fork. They make the most creative videos which feature their two Golden Labrador Retriever puppies that run all over the place. New topics include Mulching and Composting Leaves, Tomato Hornworms, Using Wall-O-Waters, and Japanese Beetles. These videos are informative and are fun to watch. Check them out on our Growing Tips page.

Gardening in Wintertime

2008-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

This time of year many of us are under a foot of snow and can't really do much in the garden but there are a few things we can all do. Composting is one of the easiest things to do this time of year since we eat so many vegetables and we also have lots of leaves around. Adding your leaves to a compost heap or basket, along with all those wonderful kitchen scraps, (don't forget the eggshells and coffee grounds), will make for yummy spring loamy compost for your garden.

On warmer winter days you can actually get outside and do cleanup chores in the garden. Getting rid of any weeds and basic clean up of dead plants is a good start. Also working on building raised beds and pathways is a great chore for wintertime. All that hard work is much easier to do while the weather is cool.

Sitting by the fire drawing garden plans is my favorite wintertime chore and planning how much to grow of everything is so much fun and makes me want to cook soup! Tomato bisque with a little rosemary and garlic foccacia.

Tomato Bisque is made with homemade marinara sauce, pureed and add 1 cup half and half, heat over low heat to a simmer until hot and steamy.

Here is my recipe for Marinara which we made last summer and froze several containers.

5-6 cups tomatoes, cored, diced and seeds removed if you prefer
2-3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
fresh herbs, Basil, parsley, oregano or marjoram, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper flakes if you like heat

Add a little olive oil into a large skillet and add onion, cooking over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then add garlic and herbs and cook another minute or so. Add tomatoes with their juices and cook for about 20 minutes until tomatoes are soft and turn from light pink to deep red.

Tomato Selections for our 2009 Season!

2008-11-15T06:37:00.000-08:00

Choosing tomato varieties for you is what we do best. We sort through the pages and pages of information about every tomato we can find and try to determine which ones are going to grow the best, most importantly taste the best, and make all that work worthwhile. Our new selections every year are limited to only about 8 varieties as we only drop that many every season. We evaluate each variety for not just what sells best (although that is important) but if we have disappointing results consistently with a tomato variety, we will replace it with something new.

Many of our varieties are so popular that we will never drop them...here are just a few.

Cherokee Purple

The best tomato we have ever tasted! This tomato will convince you to grow Heirloom varieties. They are from the Tennessee Cherokee Indians, discovered over 100 years ago and have a thin skin and soft texture. When fully ripened they have dark reddish-purple color, full acidity and a rich, old fashioned, sweet flavor. Make sure to mulch for best results and hold back on the watering. Our best results were during an 8 week drought with minimal drip watering. 80 days

Orange Russian 117

This is truly a WOW tomato which was a standout in our tomato testing this year. It is a bicolor heart-shaped tomato with smooth golden flesh marbled on the inside with streaks of red. A cross between Russian 117 and Georgia Streak this 1 to 2 lb.yellow-orange tomato has a pink blush, is very meaty with flavor that is well balanced, somewhat fruity in flavor and has very few seeds. 85 days.

Persimmon

Fantastic, huge, golden orange variety with fruits that range from 1 to 2 lbs and 5" across! Rich color, meaty texture and good acid content make this a great selection which melts in your mouth. Has a wonderful fruity flavor and smooth flesh. 80 days

Green Zebra

One of our most popular tomatoes for its spectacular flavor, these beautiful small fruit start green with dark stripes and ripen to a yellow color keeping the green stripes. The amazing sweet and tart flavor makes this one great in Salsas and Salads. Plant early as it does not produce well in summer high temperatures 75 days

Pineapple

An old-fashioned, gorgeous, yellow heirloom with red-orange stripes, this plant will not produce a huge quantity of fruit but what you get is very sweet and extremely large, up to 2 lbs. Rich flavorful tomato that is the most amazing size and texture. These are great to eat sliced and have exceptional color and sweetness. 85-90 days

Box Car Willie

This old prolific heirloom variety is the best producer of red, smooth 10-16 oz. fruits. Don't be thrown by the name because you won't believe the incredible taste. Old fashioned flavor with high yields for an heirloom tomato is great variety for an all purpose kitchen tomato or delicious sliced on a sandwich! 80 days

Italian Sweet Beefsteak

Huge, luscious red beefsteak tomatoes on tall plants can grow up to 3 lb fruits! Potato leaf heirloom plants produce tomatoes with excellent sweet, juicy Italian flavor. 85 days

Rose de Berne

One of our very favorites! This is a delicious Swiss heirloom variety has beautiful quality, looks, and taste. They are pink skinned with deep rose colored flesh, round and uniform. Simply excellent flavor. Originally discovered in a market in Arles, France from a farmer growing a number of old tomato varieties. Very rich flavor, good acid and sweetness. 75 days

Brandywine

This is the most well known Heirloom variety for good reason. It has huge fruit with incredibly sweet flavor. It originates from the Amish in the late 1800's. It is always a staple in our garden because it is so reliable. Starts out pinkish, and turns slowly red, and then slightly purplish as it ripens. Very large vines, they can grow up to 12 feet if the soil is kept somewhat cool with mulches. Ripens in 80-90 days

Arkansas Traveler

Also known as "Traveler" this Southern Heirloom variety is known for producing well in hot weather. Beautiful dark Pink tomatoes are 6-8 oz. and very flavorful and sweet. They are always a reliable producer of large bountiful crops even during the heat of summer. Late season 85 days

San Marzano (Redorta) Heirloom

This is an authentic Italian heirloom tomato used all over Italy for canning. We chose a variety from Tuscany, named for a mountain in Bergamo. Huge plum type tomatoes grow to 4 1/2" long and 2" across. They have a meaty texture and full acidic flavor along with excellent sugar content for the best sauces. 80 days

Mortgage Lifter

One of our most popular tomatoes, this old fashioned variety of well-shaped, large fruit has very few seeds and a fantastic meaty interior texture. This one is extremely sweet and delicious in tomato sandwiches. Many are over 2 lbs! 85-90 days

Thanksgiving is coming soon!

2008-11-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

Don't forget fresh herbs for Thanksgiving. Now is the time to stock up on Sage, Thyme, Oregano and Parsley for all those great recipes for the big meal of the year. Stuffing and dressing just can't be the same without fresh herbs. Roasting the turkey with herbs under the skin is a wonderful way to add flavor. We always brine our turkey and include Thyme, Oregano and Sage. Our turkey is always moist when we soak it in a salt brine solution the night before Thanksgiving. Our recipe also has honey for a golden color and sweetness.

Mamaw's dressing is always cornbread dressing with fresh sage and chicken stock (with the pieces of chicken cut up into it). Tradition is the best part of this wonderful food holiday.

Wow, now that is a purple tomato

2008-10-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

Reuters – A purple tomato genetically engineered to contain nutrients more commonly seen in dark berries helped prevent cancer in mice, British researchers said on Sunday.

Well, we have always known that our beautiful heirloom tomatoes tasted better but this can prove that they are also healthier than eating store bought tomatoes too! Cherokee Purple, while not as purple as these, does have a very dark red flesh with purple crown and green gel inside. We are learning more about how colors of fresh foods make a world of difference as far as antioxidents and anthocyanins, like in these tomatoes which have the about the same amount as blackberries.

Video additions

2008-10-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems that everyone is getting on the video bandwagon and so are we. We have added some new videos to show who we are, how to grow some of our plants and more importantly, how to cook with the fruits of your labor! We will add more of these as we can, let us know your feedback. Here is the latest addition.

2008-10-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Happenings here on the farm!

Our 2 young bull calves just got weaned and boy are they are hungry! With our dry weather, grass is growing slowly so needless to say, they have found their way through the fences and the mother cows just follow them right through. Unfortunately, they have decided that our fall planted lettuces were just what they wanted and they have eaten them down to the ground! Lucky we still have peas and beans going but we will really miss that lettuce. One of the calves we will trade, along with his mother, to a neighbor so that we can get a new cow to breed with our bull, Bruno. She is a Red Angus and we hope to have some really nice beef from her offspring.

Our chickens are what we call "yard birds" which is sort of like free-range, only more country. They love to get out and scratch for bugs and worms, especially after a rain. Because of their diet, they have yolks which are so dark yellow you wouldn't believe it. This means they are high in Omega 3 that they get from the grass and protein they get from the bugs. They have access to the entire yard and we will sometimes be sitting in the kitchen and hear one clucking nearby. We even had a few eggs hatch this year when the hens hid the eggs from us! Fresh Farm eggs just can't be beat and with over 40 chickens, we never have to be without them.

Fresh Potato Parsley soup with white beans and Basil

2008-10-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of: Kitchen Gardeners International

2 tbsp butter
2 leeks, cleaned well and chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped finely with leafy tops
1 quart chicken stock (homemade is best)
5-6 medium white potatoes, peeled (if skins are thin, you can leave the skins on for more fiber and a rustic texture) and cut into large bite-sized pieces
1 can white navy or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 bunch or several stalks of fresh parsley
2-3 stems of fresh basil (or use a tsp of prepared pesto)
juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt & pepper and 1/2 cup cream or half and half (optional)
sour cream and chives to garnish

Remove parsley and basil leaves from stems, set leaves aside and tie stems together with kitchen string. Add butter to a Dutch oven and melt over medium heat. Add leeks and celery and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add bundle of herb stems, potatoes and chicken stock to Dutch oven and cook on medium heat until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes boiling time.

Remove herb stem bundle. Chop parsley and basil leaves finely and add to simmering soup along with drained cannellini beans, lemon juice, and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer soup until beans are warmed through, about 6-10 minutes. Soup can be pureed at this stage for a smoother texture. Add in batches to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add 1/2 cup cream or half and half for a creamier, richer soup.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh snipped chives. This recipe would be great with a bruschetta of tomatoes, basil and garlic.

Fall Alliums!

2008-10-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Garlic, Onions, Leeks and Shallots can be ordered now and should be planted in early November in most areas. These fantastic bulbs are going fast so order now. We have French Red Shallots that are just huge! Music Garlic bulbs are also very large this year and taste fantastic. Grown by our own Chris Bennett in his garden here in Alabama. Onions and Leeks will be in stock and ready for shipment on October 17th. They are very easy to grow and perfect in the garden through the winter with harvesting from early spring through June.

2008-09-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

Fall vegetables, that mature in cooler temperatures, are available online now for shipment beginning next week. "Fall" or "Cool season" Vegetables will begin shipping August 11th and continue through September as quantities last. Every year we plant a full collection of the most beautiful vegetable plants, all ready to go into your garden. Many of these vegetables such as Arugula and Mustard Greens can be harvested very quickly and will continue throughout the fall. A few vegetables will even overwinter such as Cabbage and Collards! Try growing some of our greens this fall and add nutrition and superb taste to your table.

Harvesting now in our garden!

2008-09-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

Lots of Tomatoes--soooo many! Here is what we do with them...

Marinated Roasted Tomatoes:

Quarter and squeeze tomatoes to drain the juices slightly using your fingers to remove some of the seeds. Chop Sweet onions and Sweet Red or Yellow Bell Peppers about the same size as tomato wedges. Add 2-3 Rosemary sprigs, Oregano, Marjoram, Thyme, Basil or other fresh herbs, several cloves of garlic, crushed slightly or pressed, salt & pepper to taste. Roast in a 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour or until all vegetables are soft and fragrant. Use as a spread on crusty bread, as a pasta sauce or for the bread salad listed below. Great to freeze or can in jars for later use.

Rustic Tomato Bread Salad

Tomato Bruschetta

Marinara Sauce

Canning Tomatoes recipe

2008-03-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

The optimism of gardeners never ceases to amaze me. Although weather conditions can be dreadful one year, we always have a sense that the new spring will be the best one ever. It reminds me of the fact that after having one child, we forget how much work and how difficult it was and go ahead and do it again and again and again...(well some of us do anyway.) So optimism... it's better than the alternative!

Our season is shaping up nicely and our weather has been great so far, knock on wood. We are selling our plants as fast as we can grow them this year which is great for us, but for you...we strongly suggest ordering early since we want to make sure your plants are in stock when they are scheduled to ship.

Which tomatoes are best for my area?

Probably the most common question we are asked is which tomato should I grow, which one will do well for my area. At universities all over the country such as Rutgers, Arkansas, Clemson, Auburn and many others, the agriculture departments actually designed tomato varieties by cross breeding, which would accommodate weather conditions in their particular regions of the country. Many of these such as the Rutgers tomato, Creole tomatoes, Atkinson, Arkansas traveler, and others were meant to try to overcome some of the problems farmers were dealing with in those locations such as poor soil, humidity, wet conditions or early summer heat. While these tomatoes, which are still sold primarily in those areas, are of course available now to anyone as seeds and they have spread all over the U.S. Because these tomatoes are bred for those conditions, they can be fairly reliable for farmers to grow in the area they were designed for, but are not the only varieties that grow well nor are they only for certain areas. Rutgers tomatoes grow very well all over the country and have great taste anywhere.

Backyard gardeners really don't have to worry so much about these issues of humidity and heat because we actually can prepare our gardens for most weather conditions by adding good compost, drip irrigating and mulching. Those three things will help you always get good results from almost any tomato. Certain gardeners in high elevations, with very short seasons, or extreme coastal conditions should be aware that they may need to shop for early type tomatoes which will set fruits at cooler temperatures and that don't need to have a very long amount of time to produce fruit. By and large though, most of us can grow whatever type we want and should grow several types so that we have fruits coming ripe over the long season.

Heirloom varieties which were saved from previous generations in many places all over the world have traveled extensively. Some hail from Russia, Germany, Japan, France or Switzerland and have come together with American varieties such as Cherokee Purple and the Brandywines from Amish areas of the U.S. The reason these generally do well anywhere is because they are strong breeds that have survived the test of time and those that did not thrive were not saved by early gardeners. I believe we should bring back as many varieties as possible from the past but sometimes they need to stay in the past if they do not produce well. Therefore, we are careful to only recommend varieties that have proven themselves over time.

"New" Heirlooms such as Big Zebra and Copia are actually cross bred heirlooms and they have been stabilized over time and, theoretically, will have the best of both parent plants. They can take several generations before they are established varieties and settle in with particular traits. Gardeners love science projects and many will try to work to create new types of tomatoes on their own or just see what nature will do with some bird and bee help. Pollen travels by wind and insects and saving the seeds from year to year can make some interesting blends of genes.

Our recommendation?

Grow the ones you like! Try something new! Pick a colorful collection! There are so many tomatoes to choose from and so little time to grow them all! We always add new ones to our list every year so we can experiment and come up with new favorites all the time. Varying the dates to maturity, sizes, shapes, colors and flavors is what it is all about. Get your neighbors to try ones that you cannot fit in your garden and keep the favorites from last year. Then have a tasting party every summer to compare notes and see what did best for them and for you. You will be surprised how different a tomato can taste when grown in someone else's back yard under different watering and soil conditions. Plus it is a great excuse for a street party!

NOW Shipping

2008-03-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

March 2008

Let the shipping begin! Here we go...Another fantastic season of tomatoes, vegetables and herbs. We are so excited to bring you our plants this year. With better than usual weather here in Alabama, although rain has been plentiful (we are not complaining!), which prevented an earlier shipping date of tomatoes, we are good to go now. As usual the hot peppers run a bit behind the tomatoes, no matter how early we plant them. A nibbling creature got a hold of our first batch of Cherokee Purples which has delayed them a little as well. Have no fear, we have plenty of them planted so we should be back up to speed with them shortly. Most herbs are ready and the vegetables are mostly on schedule. Every season is an adventure and a challenge for us which makes always makes gardening fun and interesting.

Testing your soil pH

2008-03-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

Soil pH, what is it and why does it matter?

A few years ago I was told a story about an old farmer that used to taste his soil. He would stand out in the field and pick up a handful of dirt and actually taste it. He could tell if the pH was acidic by just a quick nibble! Well, I am not sure I want to do that but every year we check the pH of our soil with a small testing kit or we have an evaluation of our soil done by our agricultural extension service.

The small test kit is fairly accurate but of course the extension service can be more exact as well as tell you how to correct the pH to the appropriate level for vegetables. The soil pH value, which is really the Potential Hydrogen of a liquid mixed with your soil, is a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. This pH value directly affects the nutrient availability to plants so that even if you have lots of great nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium etc. in your soil, the roots of your vegetable plants may not be able to take them up because of the chemical actions that must take place.

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 as neutral. Numbers less than 7 indicate acidity while numbers greater than 7 indicate alkalinity. Soil humus, the dark black stuff in your soil, contains the highest CEC or cation exchange capacity which means that plants are most able to transfer nutrients from it and compost runs a close second. If the plant cannot break down the nutrients properly they don't get fed. This can lead directly to Blossom End Rot which is a condition where the plant cannot take up calcium. Using some types of fertilizers which leave salts behind such as ammonium or urea, which is in most grass/turf fertilizers, can make soil more acidic.

In areas with plentiful rainfall it is almost always necessary to add lime, which is ground limestone, to your garden every year to correct pH to the neutral level and in areas with very little rainfall over the year, it is likely that your soil is alkaline or may have a buildup of salts. Rainfall passing through the soil leaches out basic nutrients such as calcium and magnesium from the soil. They are replaced by acidic elements such as aluminum and iron. For this reason, soils under high rainfall conditions are more acidic than those which were formed under dry conditions. Sulfur can be added to alkaline soils to correct pH or gypsum can be added to flush away salts in alkaline conditions which can correct pH levels slighly.

What is neutral? How do I correct pH? Vegetable plants prefer to have the soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5 and above or below that range must be limed or adjusted with sulfur to bring soil back into the neutral range. For small adjustments, 1 lb of lime per 100 sq. ft is enough but if your garden is new, it may require more than that to bring it up to "normal" such as 2 lbs. per square yard. Liming is basically adding natural limestone to the soil which over a period of time will change the pH value. Wood ashes can also be used so those with fireplaces can add them every winter to the garden. Two materials commonly used for lowering soil pH are aluminum sulfate and sulfur. These can be found at most garden supply centers. Aluminum sulfate will change the soil pH instantly because the aluminum produces the acidity as soon as it dissolves in the soil. Sulfur, however, requires some time for the conversion to sulfuric acid with the aid of soil bacteria. The conversion rate of the sulfur is dependent on the fineness of the sulfur, the amount of soil moisture, soil temperature and the presence of the bacteria. Sulfur can be very slow and take several months to correct pH. So most people use the aluminum sulfate. Both of these should be worked into the soil after applying to be most effective. If these materials are in contact with plant leaves as when applied to a lawn, they should be washed off the leaves immediately after application or it can burn leaves. Take extreme care not to over-apply the aluminum sulfate or the sulfur.

Purchase a soil test kit or garden lime from our catalog.

2008-01-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day...THE LOVE APPLE

" Researchers have determined that Aztecs developed the tomato, as we know it. When the first conquistadors arrived in Mexico, the red fruit attracted their attention and intrigued their taste buds. In the 1600’s, they shipped some to Europe, but at first tomato failed to enthuse the palates of Europeans. Then in a genial strike some “marketing guru” decided to label tomato as an aphrodisiac and named it poma amoris, the French in turn called it pomme d’amour. Of course it took off.

American colonists thought tomatoes to be poisonous because of the plant’s relation to the deadly nightshade family. "

In thinking about the luscious flavor of tomatoes it is interesting that Europeans had to be talked into eating them. I just can't imagine what life if our ancestors had not tasted the first bite, not to mention that I would likely be out of a job. When we think about all the different foods that span so many cultures of the world, what a wonderful feast we could have. Living in the US, especially in large cities, we have access to almost everything edible in the world! Maybe not things like grasshoppers and eewwy gooey stuff but if you visit your local Whole Foods or Trader Joe's type market there is quite a selection. We recently discovered the Dekalb Farmer's Market near downtown Atlanta and were stunned by the treats on every shelf. Live fish in tanks, produce from every corner of the globe, meats and cheeses and wines that will have you salivating as soon as you walk in. This is their stand:

We declare the world is designed to work. We are responsible for what does not work. We make the difference.

No matter how technologically advanced we become, we cannot escape our fundamental relationships with food and each other. The possibility of these relationships is the world market. In this context, the world works for everyone free of scarcity and suffering.

We commit ourselves to the possibility this world market is for the future generations of this planet.

I really love the whole world philosophy and multi-cultural aspect of this fantastic store. I applaud the owner and vow to stop by every chance I can for goodies. Don't even get me near the bakery!!! In another life, I will live next door to this place... http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/

Growing Tips for Easy Gardening

2008-01-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

Gardening should be fun and easy to do and by following these tips, you can prevent some of the problems which may a chore out of even the smallest gardens.

1. Planting in the right location to begin with. An open area with lots of sunshine and good soil is the best location for your garden. Providing the proper amount of light alone will prevent so many stress problems with your plants, after all they are food making machines and need sunlight like a light bulb needs electricity! Too little light will prevent fruiting, keep the leaves too wet and can make the plants stretch to reach the sunlight. I know that it is nicer to garden in the shade but in reality the plants may suffer and may never produce well in shaded conditions. Plants always prefer to be in the ground, even if you don't have "good" soil, it will most definitely be better than potting soil for the roots of your vegetables.

2. Amending your garden to create "good" garden soil. Most longtime gardeners will tell you that there is nothing that will make more of a difference in your vegetable garden success than adding compost, mulch and any other type of organic material to the soil. By organic I mean that it should be a by product of nature, not a certified organic bag of dirt. Fallen leaves, peat moss, compost of any kind are all "organic materials" and will break down over time to create the "black" soil that many backyards are lacking. You don't need to buy soil. Everyone has soil that will grow plants, the amendments will lighten up heavy soil and improve drainage, add texture to sandy soil which helps it hold water and nutrients. For first time gardens, you should rototill as deeply as you can to loosen up compressed soil and add amendments as you till to mix them well.

3. Feeding and Watering should be done sparingly. Just because we have access to so many kinds of fertilizers, and the big box stores want to sell you sprinklers and hoses and all types of watering equipment, shouldn't mean that we try to alter natures cycles. Yes, with vegetables it is necessary to water in periods of drought but a 5 second hosing down of the leaves doesn't actually water where the plants need it. The roots are the natural intake for moisture and the leaves are the intake for carbon dioxide, so water the roots! Also, instead of a short quick watering after work every day, try a long, slow watering every Saturday that gets the moisture down deep in the soil where you want the roots to go. A dribbling soaker hose or a drip watering system run for about an hour can actually save water by putting it in the right place instead of a sprinkler that evaporates most of the moisture into the air. Feeding should also be done in the most natural way possible. By adding organic fertilizers, made from "organic materials", the feeding is a process of breaking down slowly and merging with the soil where the roots know how to find it. Spraying Miracle Gro on the leaves (again, why would the plants want their food through their leaves?) can create more problems such as adding too much nitrogen, building up salts in the garden and burning the leaves. Never mind that it is watering the wrong way which wastes water.

4. Space the plants so they have room to grow. If you have never grown a particular vegetable before, you may not be aware of how large some plants get. I have seen a squash plant that is 6 feet around. Needless to say, if you have a 6 X 10 foot garden, that may not be the best thing to grow. If tomatoes are planted too close together, they may have problems drying off their leaves and this can promote disease and also make it impossible to find the tomatoes! For estimated plant sizes and spacing please see our Kitchen Gardening Tips and Plans page.

5. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch. Recently featured on the TV show It's not easy being green we saw where the garden beds were laid out and then covered with brown Kraft paper to keep the moisture in the soil, shade out weeds, and keeping other top mulch from breaking down too quickly. Around here, it is the best way to recycle newspapers and many folks use them in a thick layer to accomplish the same objective. I have seen old towels, carpet and lots of other things "recycled" in the garden as mulch. There are really no rules except that they should be easy to use, protect the roots of the plants from the hot sun, and block weeds. Just be careful not to use anything treated with toxic chemicals of course. If you want to use rolls of Kraft paper, this item is available in our catalog as a special order item.

6. If you do need to grow in containers, make sure that you use large pots, good potting soil mixed with some compost, (about a third). Water deeply and regularly, fertilize regularly (about every 6 weeks), Mulch the top of the dirt, and give them plenty of sun.

Politics and "Can't we just all get along?"

2008-01-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

Now that we are in the heat of the political season...let's talk about...gardening! Really, anything but politics. I am so tired of being labeled and put into categories and what I really am is a gardener first and foremost. Well, maybe a cook first and foremost...oh well.

We have been very busy planning our 2008 season and we have done lots of work on the website to try to make it easier to use but still colorful and attention grabbing. Our future plans include adding some video clips to the site to show techniques and useful tips at the click of a button. I hope we can get them online soon!

Tastefulgarden.com has been in operation for over 10 years now and over the years we have learned more and more about how to grow plants in the most efficient way and to have over 125 plant varieties all ready to ship for a constant number of weeks during our busy season. Believe me this keeps us up at night over here. Constantly refining how we do things keeps us always getting better and in this world of competition, it is a necessary thing. Most important is our staff of wonderful employees which we depend on so much. We will be adding new folks this season so if anyone has any spare time...

I hope you will all check out our new products in our catalog. Thanks!

Choosing Tomato Varieties

2007-11-30T09:32:00.001-08:00

What a stressful time for us here at the Tasteful Garden. We have to evaluate our selections of tomato varieties and choose which ones have to go to make room for the new. We try to offer a comprehensive selection of colors, sizes and time to maturity so that you can choose the tomatoes you want to grow. Even tougher is to narrow down our choices for the new varieties! Some varieties look good and may taste great but the names may be either unpronounceable or just plain weird.

Although varieties such as Momotaro and Rutgers are fantastic tomatoes and are well known, after offering them for so many years, we are putting them aside for a while to grow some newer ones. Kellogg's Breakfast has been on a lot of favorites list for years but this is the first year we have grown it. We are assured that the production is high and the flavor is fantaaastic. Marianna's Peace was a variety that had a burst of popularity a couple of years ago and then dropped like a hot potato. We are now bringing it back because it really was a good tomato and deserves another chance at fame.

Since weather problems made so many tomatoes just give up this year, we decided to come up with a rating system which will indicate which tomatoes will grow no matter what you do and which ones need a little more care. So many of our customers grow in containers or have limited space and cannot grow 16 tomato varieties so we have indicated which ones we would grow if we wanted to get lots of fruit under those conditions and still get great flavor.

Of course I hope everyone is enlarging their garden space this spring...get the compost in now!

Fall is the best time of year!

2007-11-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love fall. No question, hands down it is really the best for weather, for reorganizing and planning, for relaxing, for exercise and even for eating!

Nothing beats a walk in the woods for reflection as well as exercise. Doing it with other people is just as much fun as being alone. Not many things you can say that about! Fall always brings me into quiet reflective moods and helps me really focus on what I want to get done. I can sit and read by a fire and catch up on great books which really need the time I have available once our busy season is over and before the Holidays really kick in. My birthday is November 17th and even though I don't like to think about that much, it does give me even more to think about such as measuring my success to date.

Mostly I love making soup. It is really the one task that everyone appreciates so much and brings such comfort and joy. My favorites are Shrimp or Lobster Bisque, Chicken Corn Chowder, Clam Chowder, and Minestrone Soup. Here is a recipe for my Minestrone...try it out on your family and friends!

Vegetable Minestrone Soup

2 tbsp. Olive oil
2 oz. pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 medium celery with leaves, chopped
1 fresh sprig Rosemary about 4"
1/4 cup fresh basil (you can also add marjoram, oregano, or thyme leaves) chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can chopped Tomatoes
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 oz. orzo pasta, (or any small type pasta such as shells or macaroni)
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
fresh Italian parsley, chopped for garnish

Saute the pancetta in a skillet until crisp. Add the onions, celery, carrots & garlic and saute until the onions are almost clear. Add next 6 ingredients to a large stock pot and simmer soup 30 minutes. Remove the Rosemary sprig, add the pasta and cook 15-20 minutes more until pasta is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread for soaking up the broth.

Growing Herbs Indoors

2007-11-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

Growing Herbs Indoors

This time of year, we get lots of questions about growing herbs indoors. Growing herbs is easy and fun to do but it can be a challenge to do indoors. You may not be successful growing all of the herbs during the entire winter season but try to think of it as a short term extension of the garden and see what works well in your indoor climate. Most kitchens will have enough light but there are a few that just cannot grow anything but African Violets, don't try to grow herbs under very low light conditions without a bright growing fluorescent light fixture. Special bulbs are available which give off the full spectrum light and helps with the overall quantity of light. These are not enough on their own but a window even one shaded by trees can still be bright enough when supplemented by the grow light. Find a window located on the south or west side that captures the most light possible. Sunrooms and Greenhouse type windows are other alternatives which work great.

Keep in mind that in order for the herbs to actually grow, as opposed to going dormant, you will need to keep them warm as well as sunny. Don’t worry about trying to grow Sweet Basil during the middle of January but you can have it last into December and then start again early in March. Make sure you do not place the herbs near heating ducts or fireplaces as they can really dry out the leaves even though you water them frequently.

Large pots are crucial, 8-10" pots seem to do best for long term growth. Those cute little pots marked with the name of the herbs are very short term. Drainage is also important so watch for trays that catch water and keep the roots wet all the time. Your plants will not appreciate the wet feet. Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Oregano must have a period of dry soil before they are watered again so make sure the soil gets dry most of the way down by only watering when the soil is very dry to the touch. Overwatering is the number 1 killer of indoor herbs. You can add gravel to trays or saucers and fill them with water for humidity, or mist the leaves of the plant once a week with a spray bottle. Pick your herbs frequently as it stimulates new growth but limit your cuttings to very small amounts, you don't want to cut too much of the plant away at one time.

There are a few indoor pests that bother herbs in wintertime, mostly fungus gnats and whiteflies which need to be treated with soapy water. Fungus gnats can be a problem since they live in the soil. The best thing to do is to try to remove the top 1/2" or so of soil and replace it with fresh. If you still have a problem, drench the pot with soapy dishwater. That should get rid of them but if not, you can purchase Safer soap or some of our Neem II and spray the soil with that. It may take a couple of treatments with the soap. Also, let the soil dry out almost completely before watering again, that seems to discourage them. Whiteflies should be sprayed with Neem II or sprayed with soapy water making sure to get the soap actually on the flies to kill them.

Fertilizer is hardly needed at all during the winter, only use some good compost or Worm Castings in the soil mix when you plant and add it again to the top of the soil about half way through the season. Good luck!

Hornworm Help

2007-09-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

Here at the farm, we have had a taste of fall but the humidity being kicked up by the tropical storms has us still running air conditioning most days and nights. I will be so relieved when this summer is officially over. Our fall colors will be minimal due to the drought here, many trees have already turned almost completely brown.

We are picking the last of the "fall" (July planted) tomatoes and lost only a few plants due to the drought. Even though we had used drip irrigation regularly and mulched well, the plants get stressed and cannot fight diseases very well. Our Ozarks, Big Girl, Carmello, and Rose de Berne did very well in the 100+ heat as well as the Juliets being prolific which was expected. Juliets are a small roma type, salad tomato that is larger than the cherry types and very meaty. They are best for cooking because of this and we enjoyed them most sauteed with a little olive oil and basil or roasted in the oven with a little cheese. They would also be great as dried tomatoes!

Ozark was a shining example of a tomato, the flavor was fantastic. We did have some cracking at the tops due to the drought but the fruits were just delicious. Rose de Berne was definitely the best flavor with a richness that you just can't get from most red tomatoes. Carmello and Big Girl had nice size and good solid meat which was perfect for sandwiches. Cherokee purple succumbed to the weather as it does sometimes. With the extra heat, they just couldn't take the extra watering required to keep them going. Oh well, we just keep trying with that tomato as it has such great acidity and flavor. We are working on the survey of everyone's favorite tomatoes and should have the results in this month's newsletter.

George discovered several tomato hornworms in the garden and since we had just read about them, he looked for white egg sacks attached to their back. These egg sacks are from a tiny wasp that uses the hornworms as host and lives off of them for a little while until eventually killing them. I know it is kind of gross but the benefit to the garden is fantastic! So don't remove them from your garden, it won't be long before this ugly worm is dead and you will have lots of baby wasps to continue the work. Read more about this here: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent525/close/parasites.html

Going Green in the garden

2007-09-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

A fantastic program on the Sundance Channel called "It's not easy being green" has a family that moves to Cornwall, England to set up a farm that is completely self sufficient. Raising their own vegetables, pigs, chickens, creating their own electricity, composting toilet etc. George and I have enjoyed watching the show and have learned a few things too. We are hoping to eventually go green a little bit around here with solar panels.

One of the things shown in the vegetable garden is using rolls of heavy kraft paper as a mulch to cover the soil and prevent weeds. It is easy to layout, easy to cut through for planting, and it breaks down over the season to allow for a fresh bed to plant. Most folks around here use newspapers to block weeds but I really like the kraft paper rolls for long rows and ease of use. We generally rototill and cultivate to fight the weeds which are monsters in the garden. Rototilling just brings new seeds up from below ground and makes the problem worse.

Lasagna gardening creates new layers and each layer covers up the previous one which blocks the weeds from the sunlight and prevents germination. Read more about Lasagna gardening in the book which is for sale in our Video & Bookstore.

Welcome to The Tasteful Garden Blog

2007-09-11T15:51:00.001-07:00

Hello, welcome to our new blog. Since everyone else has one, we thought it would be helpful and fun to have our own blog. Post your questions, comments, photos and whatever else you are interested in and we will all be able to share the fun.

Feel free to post your favorite tomatoes, your experiences with vegetable gardening, tips, tricks and helpful information for other gardeners.