September 21, 2009 – “Falling” for Gardening

Plant Spotlight: Ornamental Kale

Kale is both a great ornamental annual and a tasty, healthy vegetable. As part of the Cole family (along with cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts), Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Kale can be grown in the late fall or late spring. Now is a perfect time to sow kale for an early December harvest.

Here’s a tip from the pros to keep your Kale transplants in top shape after you plant them in the garden:
Always wait to plant Kale in the garden when the plants have at least four sets of leaves. Strip off the lower two sets of leaves and plant the plant deep in the ground, up to the remaining two sets of leaves. Most plants do not like to be planted deep. Kale (and tomatoes) are exceptions.

Kale does best in soil that is neutral in pH, had lots of organic matter and is in full sun.

• Read More about ornamental kale
• Buy Ornamental Kale seeds at Amazon.com

Fall Gardening Tasks

September and October are the months to prepare your garden for the winter. In warmer areas, the fall is the time to plant cool-season vegetables. In colder climates, gardeners need to “put the garden to bed.” Here are the main fall gardening chores for the fall, including warmer and cooler climates.

Read more on tasks for Northern and Southern regions

Using Corn Gluten for Pre-Emergence Herbicide

If you are devoted to your lawn, or have a perennial garden with over-eager plants that constantly re-seed, using a pre-emergence herbicide can be a big help, in terms of time, money and the environment. Obviously, using a synthetic, chemical treatment is not idea. However, research at Iowa State University has shown that corn gluten consistently provides a pre-emergence benefit when used over a period of years at the right time, seasonally.

Read all about corn gluten

The Aero Garden

It’s easy to enjoy fresh herbs and salad greens in your kitchen all winter long, without taking up too much space or time. The Aerogarden, a table-top hydroponics system, has become popular due to its ease of use and compact design.

Even better for organic gardeners, the Aerogarden seed packs come with non-GMO seeds that grow in a sponge system with circulated and oxygenated water. Additionally, the Aerogarden is made from recycled components and is recyclable, itself. The energy-efficient grow lights included use much less power than incandescent lights.

For a fun and functional fall project, start an aerogarden!

• View Amazon.com for an in-depth product review and customer comments

Chicken Corn Chowder recipe

The one thing I love about the fall is the hearty soups I can begin making! My favorite is chicken corn cowder, and here’s a quick recipe I live for:

Ingredients:

• 4 strips of bacon
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 cup red peppers, diced
• 1/2 chicken, cooked and diced
• 2 cups died roasted and diced
• 2 cups of fresh cut corn
• 1 tsp thyme

Directions

Cook bacon until crisp. Put on paper towel to drain. Add onion, celery and peppers to pan and cook until tender. Add flour and cook for one minute. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Next, add chicken, corn, potatoes, and thyme. Serve with bacon. Done!