More Bargain Buys

I just got back from Old Time Pottery. This is a Manufacturers Closeout Decor store in the Southeast. They have a garden center. Who knew? All the trees and plants were 75% off. Annuals were 90% off! I bought a couple of trees and a bush.

photo credit: CK Worley

First was the Okame Cherry Tree in a 7 gallon container for $7.49. The Okame Cherry Tree is the star of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. and is one of the earliest bloomers. It's got beautiful pink flowers and wonderful fragrance in the spring and gives great fall colors as well.

photo credit: CK Worley

The next tree is a Green Mountain Sugar Maple for 9.99 in a 7 gallon container. Known for it’s brilliant color in the fall the Sugar Maple truck is tapped for the sap and boiled down to make maple syrup. And you know how beautiful fall maple leaves are!

photo credit: CK Worley

Finally the last plant is the Pragense Viburnum in a 3 gallon container. It’s an evergreen that blooms white. It attracts bees, butterflies and birds. This bush can grow to 6 feet tall which is perfect for the bank in our backyard. Price? $3.50!

While I decide exactly where these plants will go, I will tickle their roots by feeding them with Gro-tone which is a natural organic liquid plant food.

I love finding great deals on a large item purchase. Look around where you live. I’m sure that there are great deals just waiting for you too!

Favorite Gardening Tools

Here are some of my favorite gardening tools. First is potting soil. Love the organic potting soil from Espoma. Not only is it great stuff but it has a zip lock bag so you can store it without fear of spilling and it keeps creepy crawlies out. Plus it is enhanced with Mycorrhizae which is a water saving formula. This is extremely important during the dry season.

photo credit: CK Worley

I also like their Gro-Tone. It’s Espoma’s organic liquid plant food. Really easy to use and the plants like it a lot. Espoma has some really cute and informative short videos on planting. You should check out their web site and take a quick look.

photo credit: CK Worley

My next favorite is the Soil Moist mats. I used these when I pot plants. Especially great for hanging baskets. As you know from my past blogs, Soil Moist acts as a water reservoir for your plants. This is especially important during a drought. It will store over 200 times its weight in water and releases it slowly to the plant when it needs it.

photo credit: CK Worley

Soil Moist spikes are great for potted plants. It has all the benefits of Soil Moist crystals and it continuously feeds the plant as well. These are good if you already have potted plants that just need an extra pick me up.

photo credit: CK Worley

Now, here is the thing. If you are one of the first three people to tell me where I first mentioned Holly Tone in my blog you will win a free sample of Holly Tone! You have to be one of the first three.

photo credit: CK Worley

So go out and plant and have some fun right now. You will be rewarded in the spring!

Preserve your Herbs!

photo credit: CK Worley

Here is a great way to preserve all those wonderful herbs that you’ve grown all year. We will concentrate on basil but you can do this with any savory herb you have plenty of. Julianne strip your basil once it’s been washed and dried. Grate some really good Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Now take an air tight container and alternate using the cheese first followed by the basil creating layers. The cheese will keep the basil dry and fresh and the basil will flavor the cheese. Perfect for sauce, pizza, bread or pesto.

photo credit: CK Worley

Another way to keep fresh herbs for winter is to puree your basil with a little water. Fill your ice cube trays with the mixture. You may want to store these cubes of basil in a freezer bag once they are good and solid. This will keep them fresh and free from freezer burn. Next time you have a soup or sauce that you’d love to have fresh basil added to; you can just drop in a basil cube or two. Make sure you collect all the herbs that are left outside before the cold air takes them so you can enjoy the fresh taste of summer all year long!

photo credit: CK Worley

I added baby basil leaves to the top of the cubes just because it looked pretty; :) You can freeze just the leaves on a cookie sheet but they will darken in color. After they are frozen you can put them into a freezer bag and use them as you need them.

Make your own very berry frozen yogurt pops.

photo credit: CK Worley

Here is a tasty treat that is not only low calorie but tastes great. They are yogurt fruit pops. This is a great way to use the last of your berries or take advantage of the low cost of berries in the market. I always start with FAGE greek no fat yogurt but use any kind you like. FAGE has 130 calories per cup 36% protein so it makes you feel fuller longer. I add Truvia which is a zero calorie sweetener made from the Stevia Plant but use sugar or honey if you’d prefer. Adding blueberries or raspberries will make a frozen yogurt pop wonderfully delicious. You can puree them if you’d like the smoother consistency. You can add cinnamon, chocolate sauce or nuts if you’d like; just make sure you mix it together before placing them into the pop mold. I like to add Naturally Fresh Salad Toppings. I know! WHAT! They have some great roasted and glazed pecan pieces that are yummy with yogurt. Anything you top your yogurt with can go into your frozen concoction. You can keep your yogurt pop around 40 calories but remember the more you add to the mix like sugar, cereal or candy pieces the higher the calorie count so be careful. Have fun and watch out for brain freeze!

photo credit: CK Worley