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Experienced gardeners are well aware of this reality and have even come to enjoy the ephemeral nature of their outdoor spaces.
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Split or cracked tomatoes are a common problem in mid to late summer, and while they’re unsightly, most of the time they’re still edible. Find out why it happens and what you can do to keep your fruits from splitting or cracking. In mid to late summer, I usually see a common problem with tomatoes: once-perfect fruits on the vine suddenly splitting or cracking. While you can usually still eat the damaged tomatoes (especially if you pick them soon after they split), it’s a frustrating problem to have because it’s caused by rapid changes in moisture levels, which are often out of your control. The damaged skin is a physiological condition that can usually be blamed on rain. After a dry summer, a sudden downpour allows the plant to take up way more water than usual. As a tomato takes up water, the fruit expands faster than its skin can stretch, causing the skin to split. What you get are growth cracks or “bursting” of the fruit. But it’s not always rain that causes this—in hot weather, you might find yourself watering more often or more heavily as well, leading the fruits to swell and split. The damage may appear as radial cracks (which extend from the stem down the sides of the fruit) or concentric cracks (which show up as a circular pattern at the top of the tomato, ringing the stem end). If fruits are left on the vine, rot may set in at the cracks or the cracks may heal over with brown “scar” tissue.The good news is, there is a way to keep your tomatoes from splitting as often—or altogether. First, make sure your garden beds are nicely mulched to help retain moisture. Water your plants deeply (but less frequently) to train the roots to reach down in the soil for moisture; this will help the plants survive heat waves (and free you from needing to water so much). Second, if you go outside and harvest your almost-ripe tomatoes before any forecasted rain, you can save them! As I wrote about previously, tomatoes can be ripened indoors with no difference in flavor or texture. The notion that a vine-ripened tomato is superior in taste is actually a myth—and likely brought on by our own psychological biases. The best time to pick a tomato, if you want to ensure quality fruit, is right when the skin starts to “blush” (show some color). At that point, you can bring it inside to finish ripening on your counter (and you’ll have beat all the birds and squirrels that want to get to it first!). If, however, you miss the window and a heavy rain comes, be sure to harvest any split or cracked tomatoes immediately and ripen them the same way indoors. The defects might look ugly, but they don’t really alter the flavor and you can simply cut them out and compost those portions.Cracks on tomatoes also look similar to (but aren’t necessarily the same as) another condition called catfacing. You can see what catfacing looks like here and learn how to keep it from happening to your crop.
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A range of bright colors and interesting leaves make geraniums an excellent perennial to include in the garden and in containers. For any part of the garden, whether sunny or shady, and with many types to choose from, geraniums and pelargoniums are a popular choice. Lorin Nielsen will take you through the types and how to grow them.Brightly-colored in shades ranging from common pinks and reds through deep dusky blues and violets, geraniums are a common sight in most gardens today. The term “geranium” itself is a bit misleading, because there’s actually two separate genuses that are considered geraniums. But we’ll go into that in more detail shortly! Whether you are simply looking for a perennial that can create a plethora of bright and wildly-colored flowers or one that smells like cinnamon or spices, you can find a geranium that will suit you. Let’s explore this aromatic and beautiful perennial in detail!There are two types of herbs that are called geraniums: true geraniums, which are part of the Geranium genus, and those in the Pelargonium genus. Both are part of the Geraniaceae family, and are related if not identical. Both of are often confused for one another. The majority of what gardeners consider to be geraniums are actually Pelargonium genus plants. True Geraniums are often referred to as crane’s bill or wild geraniums, and sometimes as hardy geraniums as they’re a bit more cold-resistant. We’ll cover a bit of both here! While geraniums are native to most of the world, pelargonium has its origins in South East Africa, Australia, the Middle East (Turkey in particular), and parts of South Asia. There are many hybrids available now that have been developed in various parts of the world, and these are the more popular varieties sporting bigger and brighter blooms as well as being pest- and disease-resistant.
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Averrhoa carambola, commonly known as star fruit, is a tropical tree or large shrub with exotic fruit in spring. The fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals, and very low in calories.What is star fruit? You’ve come to the right place. The star fruit is a rich source of vitamin C, B9, B6, B2, and dietary fiber. It also contains various minerals, such as potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and iron. It’s a low-calorie fruit, with only 31 calories per 100 grams. And the star fruit tree is beautiful, too! A mature tree can produce as much as 200 to 400 pounds of fruit every year. The star fruit is pulpy with a grape-like texture. The flavor is described as similar to feijoa, but with hints of banana and pear and the acidity of pineapple. It’s also a widely popular ornamental. With beautiful foliage and lovely clusters of lilac-colored flowers, this tree can enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden. The flowers also attract bees, so they can entice more pollinators to your yard.The star fruit tree goes by the botanical name Averrhoa carambola. However, the tree and the fruit have many common names in different regions. For example, in Spain and the surrounding areas, the tree is known by the name carambola. In Indonesia, it is called bilimbi, although that name also refers to Averrhoa bilimbi, and thus isn’t used to refer to star fruit often.
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If you are looking for a beautifully unique blue flower that adds some variety to your garden, look no further than the globe thistle. This unique plant has some strikingly beautiful blue flowers, and is fairly easy to care for depending on your hardiness zone.A perennial garden is incomplete without Blue Globe Thistle. This flowering plant is native to southern and eastern Europe and western Asia. As part of the sunflower family, this plant is sure to create a summer spectacle with a spectacular twist. It is mainly sought after for its spherical, spikey flowers that come in beautiful hues of blue. Unfortunately, these pretty spines do sting when they come into contact with the skin. On top of its summery looks, there are several benefits to growing this plant. It’s very fast-growing, adaptable, and easy to care for, thriving in almost any condition. They are also drought tolerant and deer resistant. Plus, they attract a myriad of beneficial insects. Butterflies in particular are fans of its spiky foliage, as it’s a delicious source of food for them. This summer-blooming beauty continues to add textured interest in fall with its striking seed heads. Blue globe thistle looks most at home along beds and borders in cottage gardens and meadow-style landscapes. However, they can also add splashes of color in rock and gravel gardens. Throughout history, globe thistle was a popular plant – not typically for its looks, but for its medicinal properties. The roots were mainly used by herbal practitioners for their anti-inflammatory and lactation-promoting capabilities, predominantly used to treat mastitis and breast swelling. Globe thistle was first named in the 1700s by renowned Swedish botanist Charles Linnaeus. He aptly named the genus Echinops, which is a Greek word that roughly translates to ‘hedgehog head’. Echinops is a large genus, consisting of over 120 different globe thistles. The most popular is Echinops ritro, which was one of the few that made their way into home gardens. Echinops were eventually introduced to the United States in the 1800s, and since then has spread across North America. The blue globe thistle has won several prestigious gardening awards, including the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Blue is not a common color in the flower world, so this plant, with its steely blue spikes, is a popular choice amongst gardeners. Propagation is done in one of three ways – seeds, roots, and division. No matter the method you choose, remember to wear thick gloves to protect your hands from the sharp spikes.
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"Scalding the turkey makes for a very nice moist turkey. I have been doing this method for over 25 years. Cooking time shown in the method is for a 16 pound stuffed turkey."
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A quick go-to meal with only 5 ingredients! This can be served as an appetizer, side, light lunch or even a main! Sure to be a hit!
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