I waffle every year on whether or not I want to have any coleus in my containers. I prefer coleus when it’s smaller, so it acts as a foliage accent. Containers of huge overflowing coleus just don’t appeal to me. The problem is coleus likes to grow big. Cutting it back too often leads to… Read more »
My Everchanging Garden
Gardening That Grows With Me
Blog
Growing Dichondra – Hard to Germinate?
I love Silver Falls Dichondra dripping densely from my containers. Buying 40 or so plants a year is expensive, so I decided to try to germinate from seed in 2023. I tried both Silver Falls and Emerald Falls. I found germination difficult (especially Emerald Falls) and growth slow. I thought about over-wintering a mother-plant, but… Read more »
Growing Ageratum – Both Tall and Short
I grew Ageratum for the first time in 2023. Floss flower has a lovely soft purple colour that blends well with darker purples, deep and light pinks, whites, and silver foliage plants, so it was a great addition to my preferred container colour pallet. Ageratum is a long bloomer with little deadheading required. Deadheading shorter… Read more »
Coconut Zucchini Loaf
Another variation of a summer staple that uses up fresh zucchini grown in the garden. I also freeze extra loaves for the winter. This makes 2 loaves. INGREDIENTS 3 cups white flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 2 cups white sugar 1 cup vegetable… Read more »
Pineapple Zucchini Loaf
This is a nice change from regular zucchini loaf. It has a kind of morning-glory muffin taste but is easy to make since it’s in loaf form, and of coarse, uses up more of those summer zucchinis. Makes 2 loaves INGREDIENTS 4.5 cups flour 1.5 teaspoons baking powder 1.5 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt… Read more »
Beef Chop Suey
I make this in my large dutch oven Marinade together (can do a day ahead, but with instant pot this isn’t as necessary) 800g beef cubes (from chuck or sirloin roast) 1 tablespoon flour 1/4 cup soy sauce Mis en place 1 large onion, sliced end to end 2 celery stalks, diced small (because we… Read more »
My Pie Crust Recipe – Food Processor
After some testing I decided that the best pie crust is 50/50 butter and shortening. I make mine in the food processor which requires a little more water I find. 8 T butter (1/2 cup / 113 grams) 8 T shortening (1/2 cup / 95 grams) 2 3/4 cup cake & pastry flour (325 grams)… Read more »
Farmboy (ish) Mushroom Kale Soup
This is based on the recipe published by the Ottawa Citizen for Farmboy Mushroom Kale Soup. I’ve increased the serving portions, and use more herbs and chicken broth instead of water for more flavour. I also changed the order of some of the steps to reduce the mushrooms so it fit in my dutch oven… Read more »
Potato Leek Soup
My first try – if you don’t like celery leave the leaves out as a small amount did flavour the soup. This is heavy on the leek taste as well. INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter 5 cups (455 grams) leeks (about 4 large), roughly chopped 2 pounds (900 grams) potatoes, peeled & chopped… Read more »
Tapping Our Biggest Maple Trees – Not Sugar Maples
I am more than bored with winter and needed a garden-related activity so we decided to try our hand at making maple syrup. We’ve never tapped maples before and our sugar maple is too small. So rather than wait, we’re tapping some other maple trees. Unfortunately, our biggest sugar maple is only 7 inches in… Read more »