I have tried to resist, until the weather got a little cooler, but I can't wait any longer!!!! I have to give you my easy applesauce recipe!!
Now feel free to experiment with this and tweak it as you see fit!
SO you will need:
A crockpot ( Your ingredients will vary according to the size of your crockpot)
Roughly 3lbs of apples of your choosing ( I highly recommend Honey Crisp apples but I also like to throw in a variety of what ever is on sale)
Cinnamon ( or some of those cinnamon heart candies)
Maple syrup ( or what ever sweetener you prefer)
One cup of water
Directions:
Peel, core and chop apples into bite size pieces. ( fill to top of crockpot, just make sure you can get the lid on)
Add 1 cup water
Add flavor...if you remember I don't regularly use recipes... so start off with a moderate amount of cinnamon and maple syrup ( probably a 1/4 cup of syrup) you can always add more later!
Cover pot and turn on low ( I like to do this right before I go to bed then I wake up to the house smelling like apple and cinnamon goodness!!) But if you do it during the day cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Give it a couple of stirs as it is cooking but I don't like to over stir because I like the "chunky style" applesauce! The more you stir it the less chunky it will be so you can decide on that!
There are many options you have for using your applesauce....
eat it just like applesauce, freeze it for later, share it with friends and family but my favorite is to eat it while it is still warm over some ice cream...just to cut the sweetness!!
Don't forget to compost all your peels and cores!!!
Do you have any yummy apple recipes???? Please feel free to share!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Fall Is here....well close enough!
Sorry for the bloggus interuptus.....so much to do and so little time to do it! But I am back!!
So now that it is nearing fall and you want to get your landscaping ready for the winter months by trimming everything back and replanting various things........hold on until you finish reading this!!
I have had some friends and family asking advise about redistributing the plants in their yard. They wanted to dig up a few things and place them elsewhere.....I told them to STOP!!!
Let me say this first, if you have some perennial plants in pots and would like to transfer them to a more permanent home for the winter.....this is a good thing....do it as soon as possible so the roots can get reestablished before cold weather sets in!!
HOWEVER.......If you are wanting to separate or dig out any bushes or plants STOP!!!!
Why you ask????
Because plants have natural growth cycles. They produce certain growth hormones at certain times of the year. For most plants this is in the spring....not the fall!!! ( there are some that do well in the fall like mums, but for most plants it is the spring)
For instance a family member wanted to uproot a lovely rose bush to move it to a different location to make room for some fig tree cuttings......I told them wait until the spring....for two reasons......the rose bush will bounce back better if replanted in the spring because it will be producing it's growth hormones and the fig tree cuttings will not have time to establish themselves before the cold weather sets in!
I know it is very tempting to go out into the yard and trim back all the trees and bushed so they look neat through the upcoming winter but.......when we do this we are actually making "wounds" in the plants where pests and disease can enter before the plant has time to "heal" itself because it is not producing the growth hormones this time of year.
I know it may be hard to do but just put down those pruning shears till spring,but just step back relax and enjoy not having to do so much yard work for a change!!
But do make sure to clean up what is left over in the garden and put it in your compost bin so you can use it for fertilizer next year!!!
Let me know if you have any questions about any specific plants you may be wondering about!!
So now that it is nearing fall and you want to get your landscaping ready for the winter months by trimming everything back and replanting various things........hold on until you finish reading this!!
I have had some friends and family asking advise about redistributing the plants in their yard. They wanted to dig up a few things and place them elsewhere.....I told them to STOP!!!
Let me say this first, if you have some perennial plants in pots and would like to transfer them to a more permanent home for the winter.....this is a good thing....do it as soon as possible so the roots can get reestablished before cold weather sets in!!
HOWEVER.......If you are wanting to separate or dig out any bushes or plants STOP!!!!
Why you ask????
Because plants have natural growth cycles. They produce certain growth hormones at certain times of the year. For most plants this is in the spring....not the fall!!! ( there are some that do well in the fall like mums, but for most plants it is the spring)
For instance a family member wanted to uproot a lovely rose bush to move it to a different location to make room for some fig tree cuttings......I told them wait until the spring....for two reasons......the rose bush will bounce back better if replanted in the spring because it will be producing it's growth hormones and the fig tree cuttings will not have time to establish themselves before the cold weather sets in!
I know it is very tempting to go out into the yard and trim back all the trees and bushed so they look neat through the upcoming winter but.......when we do this we are actually making "wounds" in the plants where pests and disease can enter before the plant has time to "heal" itself because it is not producing the growth hormones this time of year.
I know it may be hard to do but just put down those pruning shears till spring,but just step back relax and enjoy not having to do so much yard work for a change!!
But do make sure to clean up what is left over in the garden and put it in your compost bin so you can use it for fertilizer next year!!!
Let me know if you have any questions about any specific plants you may be wondering about!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
It's Compost Time!!!
Finally there is a chill in the air and , at least for this week, it is feeling like fall!!! This is a good time to look at the garden that has produced so much during the summer and figure out what to do with all the "leftover" plants!
Now first let me dispel a couple of compost myths!
Compost isn't smelly...if it smells you are doing it wrong!
You don't have to live on a farm to compost!
Compost will not attract every animal in the neighborhood...if it does your doing it wrong.
Composting is NOT hard....not at all!!!
Ok lets go back to the beginning....why should we compost?
Composting is actually recycling your food or organic waste. ( by organic I mean anything that was once alive...plants that is) This form of recycling can keep 1200lbs of waste per family of 4 out of a landfill every year!
Compost is the "ULTIMATE" fertilizer!!!!!! Compost will contain all the essential nutrients that your plants need! There will be no need to buy any other fertilizer. ( no extra fertilizer means saving money)
Compost will increase the water holding capacity of your soil. ( what does that mean?) Well...it is pretty much as it sounds...your soil will hold a certain amount of water....by adding compost this capacity will be increased which turns into less watering in your garden which means saving money!!!
Now that we now why we should compost....how do we compost???
There are several great websites that offer many composting choices! I do not want to sway you by suggesting a particular one so I encourage you to do a little research to find the best compost method for you!
I found great success with the garbage can method of composting!
The most important thing is figuring out what you can compost.....the easiest way to do this is to remember NO ANIMALS!!!! DO NOT compost anything that came from an animal!!! NO fat, oil, bones or meat!! ( you can compost eggshells if you wash the eggs out first) If you don't compost these things you will not attract animals to your compost pile or container!! ( let me clarify this a bit...some animals will be attracted to your pile...bugs, worms etc. but you want these animals there they are actually beneficial to you and your compost!)
SO what can you compost??? Just remember PLANTS!!!! Any plant or things that came from plants can be composted!!! (However, I would suggest to not compost weeds or any plant that has a disease! Your compost pile will produce heat as decomposition is occurring this heat may not be enough to kill weed seeds or diseases so you will inadvertently be adding these back to your garden when you use the compost.) But any other plant material is fair game!!
I do have a few suggestions.....
make sure to chop anything large such as melon rinds. I learned this the hard way .....I put large pieces of melon rinds in my bin and attracted hundreds of fruit flys to my neck of the woods...and house! And the smaller the pieces the faster the decomposing occurs!
Make sure to turn your pile regularly..this will speed up the process also!
If you don't have enough materials to compost ask your neighbors for help.
You also may be wondering how long will it take my "garbage" to become compost? Well this time will vary! Depending on where you live, what time of year it is,the compost method you choose and how much you add to your compost..... the time can be anywhere from 3 months to a year. This may seem like a long time but if you start now you will have some compost to use in the spring.
I could write about this topic forever....I have tried to keep it brief so that I did not bore you all...so if you have any questions please feel free to ask....or share your composting experiences in the comment section!!!
Now first let me dispel a couple of compost myths!
Compost isn't smelly...if it smells you are doing it wrong!
You don't have to live on a farm to compost!
Compost will not attract every animal in the neighborhood...if it does your doing it wrong.
Composting is NOT hard....not at all!!!
Ok lets go back to the beginning....why should we compost?
Composting is actually recycling your food or organic waste. ( by organic I mean anything that was once alive...plants that is) This form of recycling can keep 1200lbs of waste per family of 4 out of a landfill every year!
Compost is the "ULTIMATE" fertilizer!!!!!! Compost will contain all the essential nutrients that your plants need! There will be no need to buy any other fertilizer. ( no extra fertilizer means saving money)
Compost will increase the water holding capacity of your soil. ( what does that mean?) Well...it is pretty much as it sounds...your soil will hold a certain amount of water....by adding compost this capacity will be increased which turns into less watering in your garden which means saving money!!!
Now that we now why we should compost....how do we compost???
There are several great websites that offer many composting choices! I do not want to sway you by suggesting a particular one so I encourage you to do a little research to find the best compost method for you!
I found great success with the garbage can method of composting!
The most important thing is figuring out what you can compost.....the easiest way to do this is to remember NO ANIMALS!!!! DO NOT compost anything that came from an animal!!! NO fat, oil, bones or meat!! ( you can compost eggshells if you wash the eggs out first) If you don't compost these things you will not attract animals to your compost pile or container!! ( let me clarify this a bit...some animals will be attracted to your pile...bugs, worms etc. but you want these animals there they are actually beneficial to you and your compost!)
SO what can you compost??? Just remember PLANTS!!!! Any plant or things that came from plants can be composted!!! (However, I would suggest to not compost weeds or any plant that has a disease! Your compost pile will produce heat as decomposition is occurring this heat may not be enough to kill weed seeds or diseases so you will inadvertently be adding these back to your garden when you use the compost.) But any other plant material is fair game!!
I do have a few suggestions.....
make sure to chop anything large such as melon rinds. I learned this the hard way .....I put large pieces of melon rinds in my bin and attracted hundreds of fruit flys to my neck of the woods...and house! And the smaller the pieces the faster the decomposing occurs!
Make sure to turn your pile regularly..this will speed up the process also!
If you don't have enough materials to compost ask your neighbors for help.
You also may be wondering how long will it take my "garbage" to become compost? Well this time will vary! Depending on where you live, what time of year it is,the compost method you choose and how much you add to your compost..... the time can be anywhere from 3 months to a year. This may seem like a long time but if you start now you will have some compost to use in the spring.
I could write about this topic forever....I have tried to keep it brief so that I did not bore you all...so if you have any questions please feel free to ask....or share your composting experiences in the comment section!!!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
What is sustainability?? Water Conservation
Ok back to business..recent events of the last week had me a little off course!!
So water conservation .....what does that entail.....well I will let you in on a few tips and tricks!!
Hopefully you have seen blog about the "self watering garden", this is one tool to help conserve water used for your landscaping and gardens ( if you didn't read it you don't have to tell me just go ahead and do that!) I also think it is very important to incorporate as many perennial plants into your landscape as possible. If you can get native perennial plants even better!! These types of plants will grow longer roots than annuals and so they will have access to a wider range of water in the soil. ( these two things will be the subject of an upcoming blog ..so stay tuned!)
One thing that baffles me to this day is how people will basically scalp their lawns in the middle of the hot summer and wonder why it is turning brown and then they will water it and complain about having to water cause it is so hot outside. If you are guilty of this please stop!! Just raise the mower deck up a few notches! This will save water 2 ways.....1 it won't be so short ...therefore the grass will not have to "work" so hard to regrow and will have less stress..... and 2nd the grass actually provides shade to the soil underneath it so the evaporation of water will be less if the grass is a little longer ...this will lead to little or no water necessary!! ( we have had an exceptionally dry summer where I live and there is a lot of brown lawns...this doesn't mean you are a bad home owner it has just been HOT and DRY...not conducive to a green lawn.)
Now that we have taken care of the outside what can we do on the inside???
I have seen lots of advertisements for fancy gadgets you can put in your toilet tank to displace the water....the cheap way....why not just use a brick or similar size rock...same effect...lower cost!! There are also new water save flappers for the inside of the toilet also...and relatively cheap about 2-3 bucks.
Low flow shower heads and aerators for the faucets are also savers....in some places you can actually get these for FREE by going to your electric companies website and taking a free home energy audit. ( I did this a few years back and got a box of goodies in the mail...light bulbs, aerators, foam light socket insulators etc.!)
This little tidbit may shock some of you....it actually saves water to run a full load of dishes in the dishwasher instead of washing them by hand...good reason to get a dishwasher if you don't already have one!!
Many washers these days are also much more efficient in their water usage...some saving many gallons a year...but they can be some what pricey..so this would be more of a long term goal but keep your eyes out for scratch and dent models at your local stores......just be sure to ask that they are in no way defective besides the cosmetic damage...trust me on this... I will spare you the details!!
Oh I forgot to mention earlier that keeping your grass longer will also cause less erosion. When the soil dries out a crust develops and it is harder for the water to penetrate that crust so when it rains the water will have more of a tendency to run off the surface instead of soaking in .....and if a very hard rain comes along more soil particles will be displaced...and even more on hilly regions ....which is erosion at work!!
Ok I think that is it for now! If I forgot to mention anything you do or know about water conservations let me know!!!
So water conservation .....what does that entail.....well I will let you in on a few tips and tricks!!
Hopefully you have seen blog about the "self watering garden", this is one tool to help conserve water used for your landscaping and gardens ( if you didn't read it you don't have to tell me just go ahead and do that!) I also think it is very important to incorporate as many perennial plants into your landscape as possible. If you can get native perennial plants even better!! These types of plants will grow longer roots than annuals and so they will have access to a wider range of water in the soil. ( these two things will be the subject of an upcoming blog ..so stay tuned!)
One thing that baffles me to this day is how people will basically scalp their lawns in the middle of the hot summer and wonder why it is turning brown and then they will water it and complain about having to water cause it is so hot outside. If you are guilty of this please stop!! Just raise the mower deck up a few notches! This will save water 2 ways.....1 it won't be so short ...therefore the grass will not have to "work" so hard to regrow and will have less stress..... and 2nd the grass actually provides shade to the soil underneath it so the evaporation of water will be less if the grass is a little longer ...this will lead to little or no water necessary!! ( we have had an exceptionally dry summer where I live and there is a lot of brown lawns...this doesn't mean you are a bad home owner it has just been HOT and DRY...not conducive to a green lawn.)
Now that we have taken care of the outside what can we do on the inside???
I have seen lots of advertisements for fancy gadgets you can put in your toilet tank to displace the water....the cheap way....why not just use a brick or similar size rock...same effect...lower cost!! There are also new water save flappers for the inside of the toilet also...and relatively cheap about 2-3 bucks.
Low flow shower heads and aerators for the faucets are also savers....in some places you can actually get these for FREE by going to your electric companies website and taking a free home energy audit. ( I did this a few years back and got a box of goodies in the mail...light bulbs, aerators, foam light socket insulators etc.!)
This little tidbit may shock some of you....it actually saves water to run a full load of dishes in the dishwasher instead of washing them by hand...good reason to get a dishwasher if you don't already have one!!
Many washers these days are also much more efficient in their water usage...some saving many gallons a year...but they can be some what pricey..so this would be more of a long term goal but keep your eyes out for scratch and dent models at your local stores......just be sure to ask that they are in no way defective besides the cosmetic damage...trust me on this... I will spare you the details!!
Oh I forgot to mention earlier that keeping your grass longer will also cause less erosion. When the soil dries out a crust develops and it is harder for the water to penetrate that crust so when it rains the water will have more of a tendency to run off the surface instead of soaking in .....and if a very hard rain comes along more soil particles will be displaced...and even more on hilly regions ....which is erosion at work!!
Ok I think that is it for now! If I forgot to mention anything you do or know about water conservations let me know!!!
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