Jannie Vaught Seeds for this gardener have very personal meanings. As a seed grower and a seed saver, I am constantly looking close at many varieties of seeds. And I have a great fondness for seeds that are very tiny. It seems that these tiny bundles of potential hold a big productive plant, producing large tubers or leaves. As a small child, I was given … Continue reading The Faith of The Humble Mustard Seed
By Jannie Vaught Today as I was enjoying my morning walk through the garden and fruit trees I was thinking. “What fruit tree inspires me for being thankful?” It is surprisingly the Persimmon, Diospyros texana. Texas persimmons are native from Northern Mexico to Central Texas. Extremely drought resistant and a graceful slow-growing tree, bearing a black fruit. Often called black persimmon. Another reason to “go … Continue reading A Walk In Gratitude
By Jannie Vaught The leaves are falling. Just the other day there was a warm breeze and with it, the leaves began to tumble to the earth. There is a scent to Autumn and for this gardener, it is the drying of the leaves and the sound of them as I walk across the yard under the trees. That’s the scent of Autumn. With that, … Continue reading The Scent Of Autumn
By Jannie Vaught I would like to begin this week’s column by sharing a quote. ” When you have hope in the future you have power in the present.” John C. Maxwell American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books on leadership. This is at the core of Farming, ‘gardening, small or large grower and seed saver is for this gardener the grass … Continue reading The Core Of Gardening
By Jannie Vaught More than a Spice latte, this “Fruit” has been feeding humans for over 5000 years. Cucurbita pepo is originated from Mexico. Yes, it is a fruit and is known for its hard skin dense pulp, and many seeds. From orange to yellow to white this fruit is a nutritional plus. Low in calories and dense in vitamins and minerals. The word Pumpkin … Continue reading It Is The Season For Pumpkins
Oxalis By Jannie Vaught I’m always eager for spring and the flush of much awaited Blue Bonnets and all the fantastic fields of flowers along with flowering trees like Red Bud and Mexican Plum, but I have to say this fall is bringing exceptional flowers. What I’m seeing now is Golden crownbeard or Cowpen daisy, Scarlet sage, and Turks cap. Along with Baby blue eyes. … Continue reading Fall Native Flowers Are Showing Their Beautiful Colors
By Jannie Vaught The heavy drought and extreme heat have all but finished the tomatoes! But, with daily watering and when I see them in this extremely stressed condition. It appears that they are showing me they are in need of this sooner. If you grow Heritage tomatoes Indeterminant variety they will continue to produce long after the determinant plants have given up. Start by … Continue reading The Drought and Heat
By Jannie Vaught, Tomatoes are for this gardener finishing up as the temperatures have soared to above 100! But this is the time for harvesting the final crop and enjoying the fruits of your labor. For me it has been tomato canning time and as I grow Heirloom tomatoes, saving the abundant seeds for next year and to share with fellow gardeners. Saving heirloom seeds … Continue reading Tomatoes
By Jannie Vaught For those of us who are outside early and late there is a bit more grainy grime on the leaves and tomatoes. also, the wind seems to remove any soil moisture as soon as it touches the ground even with deep mulch to hold the water. Last week I came across a new book at our Library here in LLano Texas. Gardening … Continue reading The Wind Is Being Problematic Along With The Red Dust From Africa
By Jannie Vaught The (Cucurbitaceae) along with cantaloupe, honeydew, and cucumber originally domesticated in West Africa. This is a vining flowering plant with over 1000 varieties. The health benefits are Beta carotene and phenolic antioxidant found in the red to orange colors and it gets better as the melon ripens Low in calories and full of hydration, vitamins, and rich in iron. Planting and … Continue reading The Wonderful Watermelon
By Jannie Vaught, Orach, Atriplex hortensis also known as Mountain spinach, Red Orach, or French spinach or Sea purslane, saltbush, is a distant cousin to spinach. A cool-season plant is a warm-season alternative to spinach. Touted as an alternative due to its lasting in heat and not bolting as spinach does, giving a longer time to harvest. Here’s more on this ancient now becoming a … Continue reading Orach the “New Kale”
By Jannie Vaught, Last week we had severe storms that had high winds. And what occurred out in the garden was this. Some of the larger tomato plants had their leaves curled inward. On inspection, after I re-tied them, I found no yellowing or insects under the leaves and no Mosaic Virus mottling on the leaves. I went to the computer to the Texas A … Continue reading Tomato Leaf Curl
. By Jannie Vaught Potatoes and onions have been in, all the favorite tomatoes and peppers are showing flowers and even some fruiting. Then a strong wind comes and whirls it around. Every year there is something to repair. Amongst social distancing and face masks and hand sanitizer, the majority of my day is spent alone in the garden, planting, harvesting seeds, or repairing something. … Continue reading Spring Is Always A Tumultuous Time For The Garden
Jannie Vaught Last winter was the first time I even considered fava beans or broad beans other than butter beans or Lima beans. These were just not in my library of eating or growing. So I researched the fava. Favas are a specific kind of broad bean which includes, lima, fava, and some runner beans. Favas are a cold-weather bean often planted with snow peas … Continue reading The Fabulous Fava Bean
By Jannie Vaught, All the preparations and soil amendments are in and the tilling, row making and planning are underway. The important need for plant starts and seeds seems to be almost as problematic as getting a pound of butter or tissue. For many of us who have been sharing the importance of heritage seeds, native seeds, and plants, has been going on for years. … Continue reading The Season For Planting Is Here
By Jannie Vaught Today’s topic of conversation is peas and growing squash, melons and pumpkin in pits. In Texas peas, Pisum sativum, English peas, sugar snap, and snow peas, not to be confused with Southern peas, black eye, and crowded peas. They should have already been planted. as they are a cool-weather crop. They go in the ground in the fall. They are either bush … Continue reading The Beauty Of A Humble Garden
By Jannie Vaught Our gardens are beginning to shape up! Our potatoes have been hilled for the first time, Compost and Phosphorus and Tomato Tone along with some Calcium Nitrate granules all measured and mixed into the compost, wheelbarrow going down the rows and placed at each plant and a handful between for the growing roots to find. All this done or still in process. … Continue reading The Whole Picture Of The Garden
By Jannie Vaught Vernal Equinox has finally arrived and with it “The Days of Uncertainty.” As the world is placed on hold from a sweeping illness from day to day we never really know or understand the full effect. It has emptied our grocery stores, closed us in our homes and had us elbow bump instead of a handshake or hug. And now the elbow … Continue reading The Days of Uncertainty
By Jannie Vaught As with all season transitions, it is always tumultuous. That’s a nice word for Stormy! Just when we get the tiller and digging tools ready it comes to a storm, but as a generational farmer and now a gardener it just seems normal. Rush get ready, now wait. And in the waiting time get out all those seeds and your garden planner … Continue reading Count Down To Spring Has Begun In Earnest
By Jannie Vaught, It is that time of year when the cold fronts blow in then it warms up and all my garden plans are on hold till that pesky soil temperature reaches 60. My living room is full of Tomato and Pepper starts under lights, most of the soil and garden preparations are ready and wouldn’t you know the dang weeds are already showing … Continue reading It Is That time Of Year
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