Garden Apron....or for harvesting

This Weeks Verse.....

Jeremiah 29:5

Build houses and dwell in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce.

Just wanted to share an easy durable apron idea for the garden or for the kitchen which ever suits you best.

What you need:
1. 3 pairs of old adult jeans about 2 yards of fabric.
2. 1/2 yard of other printed fabric for the ties and neck strap
3. Cheap apron pattern

Start by cutting your jeans into strips of fabric or blocks of fabric. Make sure you save a couple of pockets off the jeans to make the front pockets of the apron.

Jean Fabric Sewn Together

Next you will cut your pieces of fabric that you need to make the front and back of the apron. You can make your apron reversible if you choose. I did not make mine reversible.

The front piece cut out before sewing.

Follow your patterns directions as far as how to sew the apron together. I used fleece for my ties. (I try to recycle left over fabric when I can.

Finished Product!

Use your own creativity as far as where you want to place your apron pockets. What color jeans you want to use or if you want a thigh length apron or a shin length apron. It is all about what you want to create and the inspirations you feel.

Hot and Spicy.....

This Weeks Verse:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live,

but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God, and loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Young pepper plants from my garden. (2015)

The joy of growing home grown peppers. This week will look at varieties, companion plants and what a scoville is. It is best in the Pacific Northwest to shop around for the shortest growing season peppers.

Here are some great varieties that can come from the home garden:

• Nikita: 65-70 days has a glowing red orange color, they are a blocky pepper, holds it shape when cooked even in high temperatures. Plant is a good producer with 3" mild fruits. (Burpee Seeds)
• Marconi Rosso: Peppers are 9 - 12" by 3" and are a sweet deep red pepper when ripe. They are an 80 day pepper on very large plants. (Seeds from Italy)
• Early Jalapeno: a 63 day pepper which produces an abundance of peppers on a sturdy plant. They can be enjoyed pickled or stuffed. (Botanical Interests)
• Pasilla Bajio: another 80 day pepper which is also known as "Chilaca" and "Chile Negro" mainly used as a dried pod or powder. Has a rich smoky flavor, which is mildly hot and great in mole sauces. (Botanical Interests)
• California Wonder: a great 75 day pepper, which produces green and red peppers on the same plant. Has a great crisp texture, an excellent cooker, and a very productive plant. (Botanical Interests)
• Yolo Wonder: another 75 day pepper. Excellent for cooking and is thick skinned. This is a high yielding plant. (Botanical Interests)
• Sweet Cherry Blend: a 75 day plant, which is great for pickling, they are sweet an bite size, and great on kabobs. (Botanical Interests)

Companion Plants for peppers. There are not very many companion plants that are okay to grow next or with these wonders of nature. Looks like only Basil and Okra like growing with peppers. On the other hand, ground hot peppers do make a great bug and animal repellent to other plants. With a mixture of 3 parts water to one part ground pepper sprayed around the bottom of the plants it works pretty good to keep pests away. Beware of spraying pepper mixture directly onto the plants because you can burn the leaves.

What is a scoville and how are they measured. A scoville is the system of measurement for determining how hot a pepper really is. The way the scoville is measured is: equal parts of sugar water and ground chili pepper. The equal parts of sugar water are add to the chili pepper until the pepper is no longer hot. As the table describes below that Pure Capasaicin (the main chemical that makes up the chili pepper) is the hottest by a long shot. I am still not brave enough to grow the Bhut Jolokia, because I wouldn't now what to do with the peppers. Kudos to the people that do grow and eat them.

15 Million		Pure capsaicain
2 million - 5 million		Pepper Spray
1 million		Bhut Jolokia
577,000		Red Savina Habanero, Scotch Bonnet
250,000 - 350,000		Habanero, Long slim Cayenne
100,000 - 250,000		Tabasco
50,000 - 100,000		Thai Hot, Chinese Kwangsi
5,000 - 25,000		Jalapeno, Cayenne, Serrano, Arbol
100 - 25,000		Guajillo, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Poblano, Anaheim
0		Bell Pepper

Just a little inspiration for a Italian Pepper and Basil Garden:

Why Compost?

This Weeks Verse:

Psalm 51:1-2

Have Mercy upon me, O God, According to your loving kindness;

According to the multitude of your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

Why Compost?

Composting is not a new area of discovery, it has been done for generations. Composting can help lessen the environmental stamp put out by a home. There are three areas that will be covered: bin or pile, what you can and cannot put in compost, and what the benefits of compost are.

My compost bin. See it can be make out of anything.

So depending on what the beginner composter decides, whether its a bin or pile compost can be made equally good. Just remember that a pile of compost should just be used for grass clippings and other materials. Once food is added it may attract rodents. The composter can make a chicken wire fence to contain their pile of compost. A good bin can be made cheaply, just make sure it is at least 3 foot high x 3 foot wide x 3 foot deep and be covered. For the beginner composter the best place to start is with a pile. The compost pile can be as big or as small as the composter wants it to be. all compost piles or bins need to be placed in a shady and dry area with a close water source. When making your pile you need to make even layers of brown and green debris.

Equal Layers of Material

Brown debris will consist of dried leaves, yard clippings and grass clippings (see chart for a full list). Green debris is fresh yard clippings and kitchen scraps. Some people use a compost booster, because of cold winters. This is sprinkled in between each layer of brown and green layers. Once a good sized portion is created, cover with a layer of dirt and wet the compost down. (Make sure that the compost is just wet and not Sloppy) Then let the compost sit for one week, and turn the pile and add more compost booster. Repeat weekly as needed. After a couple of weeks, when the compost starts to turn black and smell fresh, let the pile sit or cool. If the composters add their compost too soon it will be too "hot" and can burn the plant planted in the compost.

So the do's and don'ts of composting are very important to understand and follow. Some materials just are not healthy for a compost pile.

What a ‘Beginner Composter’ can add to their compost:

GREENS:
Uncooked and cooked vegetables and fruits	Breads and grains
Coffee grounds and filters	Grass clippings
Paper tea bags with staple removed	Hair and fur
Chicken, rabbits, cow, and horse manure
BROWNS:
Cotton or wool rags	Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells (crushed)	Nutshells
Fireplace ashes (from wood burning)	Sawdust and wood chips
Hay and Straw	Yard Clippings (leaves, branches, twigs)
House Plants and flower bouquets	Fill dirt, Used and unused Potting Soil
Egg Cartons	Leaves
Shredded Newspaper and thin cardboard	Clean Paper and non slick paper junk mail

What a ‘Beginner Composter’ SHOULD NOT add:

Aluminum, tin or other metal	Glass
Dairy products (butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt and eggs	Fats, grease, lard or oil
Greasy or oily foods	Meat or Seafood Scraps
pet wastes (dog or cat poop, dirty cat litter)	Dead animals
Soil Diapers	Plastic
Black Walnut Shells, leaves and twigs	Perennial Weeds
Fire starter logs	Treated and painted woods
Rocky soil	Pesticide treated yard clippings

So just remember to keep a close eye on what's added to the compost, because it can hurt the future plants. So remember that browns are for carbon, greens include nitrogen, air helps organisms grow and keep it watered.

So why compost? The biggest perk to composting is that it saves you money. It helps eliminate commercial fertilizers and compost. It's biggest benefit is that it cuts down on the amount of trash being put into the landfills. It helps the small property owners become more self sustaining. If each homeowner had a composter and cut down one bag of trash each year, just think of the environmental impact it would have. Remember to compost the most each month to help be environmentally friendly.

Sources:

www.epa.gov/greenspaces

Sensitive Strawberries

STRAWBERRIES

Today, lets talk about strawberries. We will cover varieties, planting and care, a great strawberry jam recipe, and what sensitive plants are.

"So many varieties to choose from?" You may be asking yourself. I personally like the everbearing varieties such as: 'Alexandria' a small red alpine type, 'Fort Laramie' very cold hardy, 'Ozark beauty' large berries, and 'Tristan' large berries (these are what I grow in my garden). You can also grow June bearing varieties such as: 'Benton' firm flavorful berries, 'Chandler' large juicy berries, 'Sequoia' very tasty. there are also alpine variety strawberries that grow a little smaller, heavy producers, and are the closest thing to a wild strawberry. My suggestion is to pick a variety that best suits your climate.

As far as planting you can choose to grow them in strawberry pots, on hilled rows, or matted rows. Just remember that strawberry plants loose their vigor after 2-3 years. Some people replant their strawberries every fall to keep the same strong production. When planting in strawberry pots and hilled rows you really have to watch how dried out the plants become. You need to water your strawberries regularly for consistent production. As far as mulch, strawberries like to have fresh mulch each year. They do really well with either alfalfa stems and leaves mulched in and around them or alfalfa pellets work great too. In colder climates make sure that you cover your berries with a thick layer of leaves or straw to keep the plants from freezing over the winter. When the weather warms pull the leaves or straw back to reveal the plants to sunlight. I try to uncover mine at the end of March beginning of April when the rains begin. Strawberries are easy to maintain with a little care. Watch you pests and take care as needed. A great home-remedy recipe consists of:
1 head of garlic
1 TBSP dish soap (bleach free)
2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 cups water
Peel the garlic and puree the cloves along with the oil and water. Allow to sit over night and then strain the mixture. Add the soap and mix toughly. Pour into a spray bottle and use on pest infected plants. (Kind of Stinky)

As for strawberries, keep an eye on your production yield and replace plants a needed. Strawberries are fun to and easy to grow. There is nothing better than a soft sweet homegrown strawberry.

For the Sensitive Plant has no bright flower;

Radiance and odour are not its dower;

It loves, even like Love, its deep heart is full,

It desires what it has not, the beautiful.

        Shelley—The Sensitive Plant. Pt. I.

Sensitive plants (Mimosa pudica) is a tender perennial that blooms in summer and is 1-2 feet tall. Their leaves are a tropical wonder and move right before your eyes when touched. I started this blog to share my ideas, tips and beliefs. We are all like the sensitive plant when we are hurt we shrink back and fall down just like a sensitive plant. We to depend on Jesus to lift us back up when we fall down.

Strawberry Jam Recipe:

Quick and easy Strawberry Jam-

2 qt. strawberries, washed and stemmed

1 pkg (1 ¾ oz.) powdered fruit pectin

6 ¾ cups sugar

1. Crush strawberries and measure 4 ½ cups of berries into a large stockpot. Stir in pectin and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
2. Fill sterilized jars, seal, and process jars, leaving ¼ inch head space and processing for 10 minutes in boiling water canner.

Remove jars from water; let stand undisturbed, at room temperature for 24 hours. To check seals, remove the bands and press down on the center of each lid. If the lid doesn’t move, the jar is sealed. If the lid depresses and pops up again, the jar is not sealed. Store properly sealed jars in cool, dark place up to one year. Refrigerate after opening. Makes 7 half pints.

Sources:

Botanical Interests: High Quality Seed Catalog

The Edible Garden By Sunset Magazine

Let's Talk Tomatoes!

Verse of the Week:

John 8:34-36

Jesus Replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free."

The World Of Tomatoes:

Today I am going to start with the all time vegetable the tomato. There are a couple of areas that will be briefly covered: varieties, seedlings and companion plants for tomatoes.

When planning a garden in the Pacific Northwest short harvest varieties are the choice to choose. A 45-75 day tomato are the easiest to grow and harvest in our short growing season. Some varieties that are new to my garden this year are: 'Rebekah Allen' a 70 days to harvest tomato and the 'Tlacolula Pink'. The Tlacolula Pink variety is a 75 day tomato (so hopefully my garden sees a harvest). These tomatoes are a Mexican heirloom tomato which are pear shaped, have deep ribs and ruffles. They are mild, sweet with pink flesh and skin, and gold splotched shoulders. With tomatoes the varieties are endless. They range from hybrids to non-gmo variety heirlooms. The variety is up to you to choose. Just remember to save your seed catalogs for tomato recipes, research, and varieties. When you start from seed the varieties are endless compared to what your local home improvement store can offer. A warning that seedlings can have some problems too.

One of the biggest problem that I have encountered over the years is "damping off". This disease is one of the most common among seedlings and starters. Damping off has several visible symptoms which include sudden collapse of the seedlings, constriction, and discoloration of the stem at the soil line. Fungus can cause damping off as well, but it doesn't matter which fungus is the cause. Here's some prevention: disinfect your starter containers, use sterile seed starting mix, don't crowd seedlings, thin out seedlings, avoid over watering, when transplanting don't handle the stems, grow seedlings in a well ventilated area, and immediately discard any infected plants. This season I had a similar problem to damping off with some of my larger transplants. These plants were doing great. They were in the hardening off stage when about an inch or two above the soil line they became constricted and wilted. I saved the plants! This is how I did it: I took the starter and wet the stems up to the fullest part of the leaves. Then covered the plant with rooting hormone, and planted the tomato in my garden as normal. (The bad section was planted below the soil line) Within a couple of days the plants had regained their former strength.

Finally, lets talk about what plants grow best with your tomatoes.

Below I have two categories: Lovers (companion plants) and Haters (plants that repel against tomatoes).

Tomato Lovers:

• asparagus
• chives
• onions
• parsley
• marigold
• garlic
• nasturtium
• carrots

Tomato Haters:

• cabbage
• potatoes
• fennel
• apricot trees
• corn
• tobacco

So remember to choose your varieties wisely. Watch your seed starters carefully and plant the next to the proper plants. Next week I am going to talk about strawberries.

Sources:

"Carrots Love Tomatoes" by Louise Riotte

"The Whole Seed Catalog" by Baker Creek

"week by Week Vegetable Gardener Handbook" by Ron and Jennifer Kujowski

Introduction.

Welcome to my blog.

I am on a journey to spread my love for gardening and my Christian faith, by including garden tips and bible verses weekly. Give the north west my natural tips and share my non gmo love.