Plant Your Garlic This Fall! Now is the Time!

It's a cold, fall Saturday morning here in Michigan and 

I have just gone out to rip up my garden!

I love this part of gardening, as I am able to reminisce about each plant that I helped to nourish and grow and think back to my families enjoyment-as well as mine, and all of the delicious recipes that they inspired! 

Now...however is the time to let the soil re-boot!  Leaving in some of the root vegetables and throwing on top some of the last tomatoes that were left on the vines will help to give some added nutrients to replenish the soil.  

I will also cover the garden with dried leaves and grass to help it over-winter. 

But...I also get to PLANT THE GARLIC!! 

In warmer regions, garlic can be planted in the early spring. But, most experts say that planting in the fall is best and 

gives the roots a good amount of time to grow strong and deep. 

See the best planting and growing guide I have found, here in the link below, 

by Organic Gardening Magazine! 

Garlic Growing Guide-Organic Gardening Magazine

A Better Basil Pesto

It started with this...

and ended with this...

Fresh, Basil Pesto!

Last year, when I started this little blog, I threw together a Basil Pesto and posted it.  I was reprimanded by someone whom claimed to be an authentic Italian whom smashed my recipe to bits.  She was right to some degree in that I was blending the ingredients far too much and making it too liquidy.

So, this year, I made it differently and like it much better.

I still did NOT use the mortar and pestil however, so forgive me again.  It seems I cannot

bring myself to forego the food processor to get through this much basil!

As it turns out though, this worked just as well :)

Basil Pesto!

12 cups Fresh Picked Basil

1/2 cup Pinenuts

2 cloves Fresh Garlic

1 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 cup Olive Oil (EVOO optional)

1 cup Fresh Parmesan, Shaved

Wash and dry basil, and within hours of picking, blend in food processor until small bits.  Add remainder of ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste, add more Sea Salt if needed.

Serving Suggestions:

On Eggs, Omelots, Egg dishes

On Tomato slices

On Toast or Crackers

Mangia Bene!

La Dolce Vita!

xoxo

This Year's Vegetable Garden

Well, it's still cold and rainy here in Michigan. But, I am excited about this years garden! We are preparing for a larger one this year, in addition to the Kitchen Herb Garden that I grow right behind the house.  Plus, we have a (mini) Vineyard we are working on.  I will post more about that, later.

 

In the meantime, I found this great video from Organic Gardening Magazine, that gives and easy step-by-step on how to CREATE your organic garden. It is so simple, you won't believe it.

 

We would love to see YOUR garden as you grow it, so email your pics to me at:  contact@LaDolceVitaGirl.com   We will post your pics and updates on the blog!

Happy Gardening! La Dolce Vita! oxox

Grow Your Own Kitchen Herb Garden!

Grow your own Kitchen Herb Garden! 

Free Garden Planner Tool at Bottom!

 

This can be in your backyard, or even on your patio in pots, if needed! 

Most herbs love full sun, so be sure to plant your garden in a sunny location.

I like to have mine very close to the backdoor, making sure there is a paver walkway from the door to the garden.  This way, I can run out in my jammies-and so can the kids-in the morning or evening, to gather our harvest for our meals. 

It really is more fun that way, especially with coffee in hand ! :)

My Favorite Herbs:

Basil-  Big, Leafy, and Green...incredibly aromatic, fresh with a hint of minty, licorice, anise flavor.  Use in Pasta dishes, Egg dishes, fabulous with tomatoes and cream cheese, or just by itself.  Blend with Olive Oil, Pinenuts & Garlic to get Pesto.. (see recipe click here)  Grow in semi-wet conditions, keep soil moist; full sun or partial shade. 

 Chives- the little onion flavored herb. Easy to grow, perennial...it spreads out big, so make sure plenty of room to grow! Try to cut them off at the base, before the purple flower shows up; once the flower is there the stalk is too tough to eat.  You can cut them down and they re-grow for an ample harvest into winter.  Chives can be refrigerated in baggies, or frozen, to save.  Use in eggs, potato dishes, sauces and more.

 Feverfew- is not usually a culinary herb, although it can be steeped in tea.  It is typically used in herbal medicine to reduce fevers, thus the name.  I grow it, harvest, dry, and store in bags for use in the flu-season.

 Oregano! Wow! What used to be my least favorite herb, has become one of my favorites! But there is a trick! There are many other herbs being sold as Oregano (from Turkey & Spain usually), but they are really a version of Marjoram with little flavor and no medicinal quality.  TRUE OREGANO, will have a very strong flavor that will nearly burn your tongue when tasted...be sure to check your product if you buy at a farmer's market!  Oregano is a powerful anti-bacterial.  Essentials oils sell for $22/oz or more. I harvest, dry, and store for overwinter and medicinal use.  Also, it is wonderful in pasta and heavy-meaty dishes. Oregano spreads out into a bush..so be sure to leave at least a 3-4'section for this to expand. 


 Mint- a delightful summertime herb! Use in iced teas, water, muffins, cookies, frostings, and more! Rub on your skin to repel mosquitoes, too!

 Rosemary- Oh, my heart belongs to Rosemary <3. This beauty will get up to 4'tall, so plant near the rear of the garden. It will not overwinter well in cold zones, but I cannot bear to let it die.  I uproot mine fully and plant in a large pot that comes in the kitchen for the winter!  My favorite snack is Rosemary with Brie on a cracker. It is heaven with a glass of vino!  Otherwise, it goes in almost every beef and chicken dish that I make; along with my Chicken Soup...I cannot go without the hint of Rosemary! 

Thyme- there are many different types, I prefer Lemon.  This grows out low and spreads in a bushy fashion. I have even used it outside of the garden in areas where grass will not grow...it is steppable!  And edible! Fabulous in soups, salads, on sandwiches, in biscuits, and more...

Arugula-  My favorite type of green to use in salad's!  I like to add greens to my herb garden, as we use them so frequently and they re-grow!  Plant them in neat, little rows close to your door.   Arugula has a strong-pungent flavor, almost nutty.  It is balanced well when mixed with romaine or another mild flavored green, but adds a little spice and warm flavor.  Great on sandwiches, too!

Basic Tips:

  If you are making the garden adjacent the house, make sure there are no paint chips or other chemicals near or in the dirt that may leach into it.

Use only Organic Top Soil, or Organic Garden Soil,

 to be sure that chemicals from the soils will not get into the food!

Turn over the first 8" of sod and chop into small pieces back into the earth.  Once this is softened, ADD another 3-4 inches of Organic soil over the top.

 

FEED your soil with Organic Compost (can be purchased) or better yet-

Make Your Own Compost! This will feed your garden, and feed your herbs with nutrients..the same with your vegetable garden!

Starting from seed:  If you are a die-hard and really want to "grow your own" this is the way to go.  Just know that seedlings are tempermental and fickle!  You may lose half or more before they get into the ground.  I know I have...but it is fun to do, anyway!

Be sure to buy ORGANIC SEEDS as these are the only non-genetically modified available! This means that you will not have seedless varieties, but the good news is...the seeds that any produce can be used for next year's harvest! Plus, they won't contain nasty, harmful toxins that kill bugs, but also can kill you!

CLICK HERE FOR 14 TIPS ON STARTING YOUR OWN SEEDS

by Organic Gardening Magazine

Buying potted:  Sometimes it is alot easier-especially if you are new to this-to buy the baby, potted version of an herb.  These work very well, just try to buy from a local farmer's market where you can trust the quality of the plant and hope they also have organic methods...which will mean also, no pesticides embedded in them! 

Either way, works fine.

(My home page has a LOCAL FOOD MARKET FINDER, you can enter your zip code and find a farmer's market! :) 

For the fun of it..here also is a FREE GARDEN PLANNER TOOL from Better Homes and Gardens..no software needed :) 

Happy Planting!!

Enjoy the Good Life!

La Dolce Vita!!

oxoxox